Ferengi Fix-Up

Posted on Wed Jun 22nd, 2022 @ 4:18am by Commander Grace Vetur & Lieutenant JG Peri Valeri & Lieutenant Commander Anahera Chernova & Lieutenant Commander Yivliph Ra-Gruvloveii & Lieutenant Haruna Mizuhara & Lieutenant Amanda Rose & Lieutenant Percival Bálor Ph.D

1,901 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: The Bandits of Black Rain
Location: Ferengi Ship

ON

Grace brought the team she felt most capable of repairing the Ferengi ship in the least amount of time and gathering any pertinent information on the pirates. The problem was that the team consisted of the Chief Intelligence Officer...and five women. It wasn't ideal, but with the ship working this far from Ferengi space, it shouldn't cause too many problems. At least that was the first officer's hope as the team materialized in the other ship's transporter room.

Anahera made a visual survey of the room. On her hip was a phaser, and over her shoulder was an engineering kit.

Haruna entered next, her engineering kit over her shoulder. She looked around. "So, this Ferengi ship needs fixing huh? Do I have to pay latinum every time I open a hatch?" She queried.

"Not unless they want us to charge them for the job." Anahera replied.

Grace chuckled. "We're helping them for information. If they try and charge us anything, I'll threaten to walk away and leave them to it." She shook her head. "I don't think that will be a problem. Having mostly women on the team might." But she honestly hoped not.

"Asking for help and then turning on us is only going to hurt their future negotiations with the Federation," Peri said, pulling out her tricorder. "I don't think they want to risk that."

"Neither do I," Grace replied.

"No, but at the same time, if there's enough profit, they will not hesitate to do it," Amanda observed, privately wondering why five women were sent over. That might antagonize the Ferengi or make it more difficult to discover what was really going on here.

Preceding his entry, two Ferengi entered the room and were quickly joined by several others including the Daimon Cenk whom the Ontario crew had spoken with. "It would be prudent not to forget that our lobes are very sensitive, and that you are aboard a Ferengi vessel Hu-Mon," the Daimon said looking disgusted at the sight of Amanda and the other clothed women.

Such was the way when dealing with Federation starships. "Even the bulkheads have lobes," added Cenk referring to recording devices. "You are not wrong though. A deal is a deal until it is not, and if it were profitable to betray you, of course we would; however, we are more reputable than you give us credit for. There was more profit to be made in the cargo stolen from us than several motley females."

Amanda nodded at the Ferengi, wary of his brutal honesty and concerned over his acknowledgement of a female being right. The disgusted look at her seemed much more in place, knowing that Ferengi for the most part still felt that women were to be seen, not heard, and completely unclothed.

"Indeed. And the Federation would not take kindly to kidnapping," Grace said politely. She smiled at the Ferengi and gave him a diplomatic half-bow. "Daimon Genk, I am Lieutenant Commander Grace Vetur, First Officer of the USS Ontario." She introduced the others. "Lieutenants Mizuhara and Valeri will assess the damage and help your engineers with repairs. Others may be brought over if needed. Lieutenant Commanders Chernova and Ra-Gruvloveii will be looking into the attack--although if needed, Commander Chernova may work with the repair team. Lieutenant Rose is here to assess any other needs you may have."

Haruna began to look around. "This ship is Haruna sized!" She exclaimed and with Haruna being... well... Haruna, it wasn't subtle or quiet. "So, Mister Ferngi, Fearangu, Fur-Angle... erm..." she paused to ponder. "Fer - An - Gi... wow and people say Japanese names are hard to say... where's your engine room, what tools do you have, what's the status of your dilithium crystals, is your EPS and ODN network stable and where can I get one of those snazzy coats?"

Peri just rolled her eyes and said nothing. However, she did want to be led to ops so she could run a diagnostic and find out what needed to be fixed.

Amanda pulled to the side of Haruna and whispered, "Perhaps a little less outward enthusiasm here, Haruna? OK?"

The Ferengi cackled slightly. "I don't trust that one, it makes too much noise."

Then pulling away from Haruna, not waiting for an answer, Amanda nodded at the Ferengi, "I am at your disposal." Realizing what she had said and how the Commander had indicated that she was there for the Ferengi's needs, the innuendo left her feeling completely uncomfortable. She shuffled her feet from side to side and her cheeks started to pinken as she looked down at her feet.

Shooting a quick look of concern at Amanda, Yiv grimaced then looked at the Ferengi. 'If you could grant us access to your data logs, we can begin determining the origins of the attack.' He pondered a moment whether he should ask Amanda to conduct her work within an arm’s length of himself and Chernova. But that would be insulting to her, and cause the Ferengi some curiosity.

Anahera put a hand on Yiv's shoulder and whispered. "She'll be okay, she's good at her job." She paused "Besides, if any of those Gremlins lay a hand on her, I'll rip them limb from limb." She added. "Now, I believe this is a modified Brigand Class, so the Computer Core, should be that way." She said pointing to her right.

"Business is business," replied the Ferengi Daimon. "I will see to it that you have access, Efrosian," added the Ferengi nervously. "Though every move you make, every breath you take, every tap of a control will be heavily monitored" explained the Daimon.

Peri followed Haruna to help with repairs and also help keep the engineer out of trouble. She hoped.

When the others had disbursed, Grace turned to the Ferengi. "I believe we have some terms to finalize?"

"Unsavory as it is to hear you speak in such a manner, there is something exotically erotic about a female discussing business. I may just have to inquire with your Captain as to how much your services are worth to him."

"My services are not for sale by you or him." She gave the Ferengi a saccharine-sweet smile. "And if you try, I will have to spread the word that you gave us help for free--without any negotiation."

The Daimon hissed in response. "That would ruin me!" shouted the Daimon. "I cannot afford my reputation to be sullied. We will negotiate, Commander."

This time her smile was genuine. "That will be fine with me. Lead the way."

Amanda realized that she had been left without instructions. The Ferengi had not given her any instructions. Did that leave her free to explore? She shook her head, scolding herself for trying to think like a Ferengi but her job was to assess any other needs that the Ferengi had, was it not? So, she started wandering down a random corridor, hoping to find someone that might have looser lips than those in engineering or with the commander.

The Daimon continued to lead Lieutenant Commander Vetur, keeping his lobes opened for anything out of the ordinary. Trusting the Hu-mons or anyone in the Federation was not a mistake a Ferengi Daimon could afford to make. Too many Ferengi had been made a fool of by the Federation. "They took more than my cargo with their attack. They wounded my reputation," he quipped.

"But if pirates are attacking multiple ships in the area, your reputation shouldn't suffer too much," she replied. "You're one of a dozen we've heard of so far."

"I'm a Ferengi Daimon," the man replied. "I have been hauling cargo and precious items through these routes for years. When no other would dare cross, I would and did. My clients placed great value in my ability to keep my cargo safe. My failure weighs heavier."

"That's one of the reasons we want to look at your computer. If we can find out who stole your cargo, we might be able to get most of it back," she said.

The Ferengi Daimon took Grace into a room with a console. "Here," he gestured at the console. The Daimon input a series of commands causing the Ferengi language to disappear, replaced with Federation standard. "You'll have access to our sensor logs and the complete inventory of our cargo...near complete. There are some things we'd prefer you did not see."

Grace nodded. "I'm not interested in your business contacts, just information on the attack." Although she was curious to know if the Ferengi had been working with pirates to further their own ends and been double-crossed. She might still find what she was looking for. "Thank you," she said, turning to the console to begin her search.

"Be our guest," the Daimon replied. "I will leave you to examine whatever you need to regarding the attack on my vessel. I will be over there reading through some reports from my idiot crew."

Grace nodded. Yiv would be joining her before long. She was confident that between the two of them, they'd get the information they needed.

====

The wandering woman had drawn the attention of a young male Ferengi, barely mature enough to chew his own food without the assistance of his Moogie, though he was not opposed to finding someone to continue to tend to his needs. He was nothing more than an equivalent of a simple deck hand, his garb much duller than the other Ferengi. "Who would be so careless to let their property wander these corridors?" he inquired.

He was repulsed by the uniform on the woman, but the exotic attractiveness underneath it all was playing out fantastically in his subconscious. Were he able to acquire its services perhaps its owner would no longer desire them, perhaps they would settle for a bargain? He may have been a bit of a juvenile compared to the others aboard, but he came from a lineage of esteemed hagglers.

"I am not property. I am a Starfleet officer," Amanda informed the young Ferengi firmly but politely. "Even in your society, women have gained more rights under Grand Negus Rom, no? And I heard rumors of a female Daimon. It is wonderful to see your society's enlightening."

She smiled at the young Ferengi and asked, "What is your name? What do you do on this ship?"

The younger Ferengi looked at Amanda. "Gort," he answered her inquiry. "I do a little bit of everything for nothing. My compensation is a slither compared to the other Ferengi. I clean the deck, get the Daimon food, and sometimes help move cargo."

[Engineering]

Peri went with Haruna to engineering to get a first-hand look at what immediate repairs needed to be made. All they really had to do was get the ship operational enough to get to a Ferengi world for the rest of the repairs.

She took several minutes to look over the data, then with the help of her tricorder, changed the language to Federation Standard. "Now to get to work," she said, grinning at Haruna.

____
OFF

Lieutenant Commander Grace Vetur
Executive Officer

Lieutenant Commander Anahera Chernova
Chief Security Officer

Lieutenant Haruna Mizuhara
Chief Engineer

Lieutenant JG Peri Valeri
Assistant Chief Operations Officer

Lieutenant Amanda Rose
Chief Counselor

Lieutenant Commander Yivliph Ra-Gruvloveii
Chief Intelligence Officer

Daimon & Ferengi
NPC - Percival Bálor

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