The Ferengi Chief

Posted on 27 Feb 2023 @ 2:03am by Senior Chief Petty Officer Layashka & Captain Harvey Geisler

791 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Milk Run
Location: Ready Room
Timeline: Mission Day 1 at 1600

Warp streaks passed by the ready room’s window as Harvey led the new Senior Chief inside. Harvey could only assume that the merchant convoy was not far behind them, especially since he could not see a single one of the other vessels from beyond the clear pane. He had planned to be on the bridge for a while longer, but it was definitely more important to brief the ship’s new Chief of the Boat.

“You barely made it, Senior Chief,” Harvey stated plainly as he approached the replicator. “May I offer you a drink?”

She had always been a bit awkward with things like this. But for now she had been drinking and eating on the rushed trip here. "No thank you sir. I'm good. Just had a decent sized meal and a bunch to drink on the shuttle to get here." She let a very short chuckle. "I'm actually glad to be here. First we lose our warp drive then i end up needing to take a shuttle here. Three days in the shuttle is too long."

The Captain grunted, replicating a Bajoran tea for himself. “Reminds me of the time I escaped from Betazed during the war.” Flashbacks of the week-long shuttle ride and dodging the Jem’hadar and Cardassians all the way to Federation space filled the Captain’s mind as he took a seat behind the desk. “Well, I hope that enthusiasm remains. We might be newly launched, but there’s an air of frustration around many of us.”

"So I won't feel alone. I understand." The Ferengi said with a nod. "I didn’t see much in my orders. Where are we headed, sir."

“The Gavara system,” the Captain simply replied. “Gavara IV specifically. The Federation has had a colony there for several years. They were hit hard during the Consortium business a couple years ago and it’s been a struggle to rebuild ever since. We’re escorting a supply convoy to the planet. It’s Starfleet’s fourth attempt in the last six months to resupply, and the last three attempts have been intercepted. Our job is to make sure the supplies arrive and stay.”

"Pirates? Or are they locals?" The Ferengi asked. Already she knew something. Possible activity and that meant weapons would be needed. So she had to get to the armory soon. Settling in could wait.

“We believe it’s pirates,” Harvey answered. “In fact, piracy has become a larger issue here in the Gamma Quadrant than anything we’ve seen along the Klingon and Romulan borders. We encountered one pirate who operates using a surplus Starfleet vessel.”

"That's great." She said, "I'll make sure all weapons and tactical gear are in working order and that we are ready, should some fool wish to test us. Do we know if they have any set base of operations?"

The Captain shook his head. “Prior to this mission, we were working on figuring that out. We currently don’t have any leads, nor any idea to the actual size or strength of the operation. All we know is that they’re smart, quick, and creative.”

"Which makes them currently unpredictable and highly dangerous. Any chance they have a mole in Starfleet?" Layaska inquired. In all her time she had heard of a few, but never personally seen a double agent, to use the old human terms.

“There’s always a possibility,” Harvey stated. “The simple fact is, the Gamma Quadrant is a turbulent and explosive area of space. Very little is as it seems, and it’s taking a lot of effort to restore a very blemished image of Starfleet and the Federation out here.”

Layaska knew a bit about this. Most people figured all Ferengi were after profit. "It could take a while. Any specific orders for me? Other than what my dual jobs are?"

“Your first order,” Harvey answered, “is to get settled. You’re jumping in right as we’ve gone underway with a crew that has yet to serve together. I’m more concerned about the efficiency of the crew and their cohesiveness than anything else at the moment. As for your position in security, report to Commander Di Pasquale. I leave all security matters to her, so she’ll guide you there.”

The Ferengi nodded. "Understood. Thank you sir. It has been a rushed trip getting here. I could use a minute to get prepared."

“By all means, Chief,” Harvey said, rising to his feet. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll leave you to it.”

"Once again, thank you." Layaska said, before turning to leave. She would need to figure out where her quarters were at. Then she would seek out the chief of security.

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