Wheeling and Dealing

Posted on 06 Nov 2016 @ 5:04am by Commodore Harvey Geisler & Commander Terry Walsh & Lieutenant Commander Camila Di Pasquale & Lieutenant Commander Joey Geisler

10,069 words; about a 50 minute read

Mission: Click Three Times
Location: Razmena
Timeline: MD 10 || 1830 hours

Lieutenant Corwin took in the sights around her as the group of four grew closer to their first destination. Like most starbases and space stations she'd visited in the past, this one wasn't much different. The place was buzzing with activity, which had her on edge a bit. Luckily, they had Gutierrez with them. If any of these people who'd never seen a human, or humanoid species, they'd know if things would go south hopefully before it was too late.

"We're coming up on our first stop," she said, looking over to the other Security officers. Joey didn't have to worry about them. They were both well trained, but Harvey... he was a former doctor, turned Captain, that could kick ass when the chips were down. She knew he could hold his own when it was required, but that didn't make her worry any less. "Everyone keep your guard up, and remember your surroundings. That could make all the difference if we find ourselves in a sticky situation." Of course it went without saying that she spoke low enough that the three men with her would be the only ones to hear her speak. She wasn't taking chances.

"Anyone up for a drink?" Harvey asked, spotting a nearby bar. While he wasn't one to drink during the day, anyone knew that you could hear almost anything in a bar. Without waiting for confirmation, he immediately turned and entered the bar. The bar seemed to be busier than the station itself, but Harvey soon found a table for the foursome.

Ricardo looked around casually and tried to keep track of all the emotions swirling around them, but so far he detected no hostility towards the group and forced himself to put on a smile. "I thought you'd never ask, Harvey," he said after a glance at Joey.

"I could use a drink myself," Joey said, though she really had no intentions of actually drinking anything considering she was on duty. The fact she wasn't in uniform meant little to her. As the senior Security officer, the Lieutenant had to be at the top of her game for the sake of the other three members of their group. If things went south, she needed a clear and level head.

A purple-skinned, three-eyed waitress arrived at the table, a species not represented in the Black Hawk's database. She eyed the four people carefully, before remarking, "I've never seen creatures like you before. I don't suppose you can pay for anything we can serve here."

"Why don't you surprise me?" The only woman on the team asked as she looked up to the three-eyed waitress. "I'm sure I can handle just about anything you throw my way."

"We are new around here," Harvey remarked, turning to face the waitress straight on, and placed a hand on Joey's shoulder. "We're unsure of your currency, but we are looking to sell a few things."

"You need to talk to the bartender about that," she said, indicating the Rakhari at the bar. "And then, when you can pay, talk to me." Shaking her head, she departed the table.

"Excuse me," Harvey said, rising from the table.

Allen brought up the rear of the group as they entered the bar. He noticed stares and odd looks, but didn't let them get to him. He was here to do a job. Allen strolled up to the bar and leaned on it. "What is it that you serve here?" he asked.

The bartender was a Rakhari. He looked up at the pink-skinned creature on the other side of the bar and eyed him carefully. "Have you never seen a bar before, alien?" he gruffed. "We serve only the finest this forsaken corner of the galaxy has to offer. But it probably doesn't matter to you since I don't think you can pay."

Allen expected that most strangers in here got the same treatment. But noticing that he was Rakhari, one immediate thing came to mind. They had business contact with local off-world traders, which was good. And the fact that they were reluctant to have contact with species from the Alpha Quadrant didn't matter. No one had met humans from the Alpha Quadrant in this universe, he thought. "I've been in plenty of bars," he said. "Enough to know that most bars and bartenders have their...specialties." Hoping to get, at the very least, a little on the gruff bartender's good side, he continued. "Let me try one of your specialties."

Harvey joined Miller at the bar as the barkeep produced a glowing orange drink for Miller. While he was sure they all wanted to take the edge off a bit, there was a certain amount of danger in going too far. He needed everyone at their best if they were going to be successful.

"We're new around here," Harvey told the barkeep.

"You don't say..." he fired back. Jerking a thumb at Miller, he said, "Are you responsible for this one?"

"In a way," Harvey replied, trying to avoid definitives. "We can't pay--"

The bartender quickly withdrew the drink.

Allen knew about the things they had to trade and thought that might work. But he was glad for the Cap...Harvey's intervention, so to speak. The Petty Officer hadn't planned on drinking, maybe sipping so it wouldn't look odd as he had ordered it. But he had hoped that at least carrying it around would take some of the eyes off of them. The fewer there were watching them, the better. Plus, he thought it might make the Rakhari a little more friendly to them. As the bartender withdrew the drink, he watched and listened as Harvey sprung into action.

"But we do have a few things to trade," Harvey quickly added. He reached in and withdrew a small bottle of green liquor and placed it on the bar. "Do you have a spare glass?" Using the glass the bartender provided, Harvey poured out double and slid the glass back to the bartender.

The Rakhari picked up the glass and eyed it carefully before taking a sip.

"It's called Aldebaran whiskey, a rare drink back in the... from where we're from. I have a case of it on my ship if you're interested."

The barkeep took another sip and looked back at Harvey. "How much in a bottle? Surely it's all not the size of that little thing."

"One and a quarter liters."

Nodding, the Rakhari considered an offer. "I do need an edge to compete with the Karemma's new establishment on the other side of the floor. I'll take the case off your hands. Ten credits a bottle."

"Twenty," Harvey quickly countered. While the barkeep hadn't seen a human, the Rakhari were well known in the Federation, as were the language the rates were posted above the bar. He knew the Rakhari could still make a profit.

"Twelve."

"Fifteen," Harvey said quickly. "And I'll throw in some more samples for future dealings."

"Fourteen," the barkeep fired back. "And your purser gets his first drink on the house. Plus your people."

Harvey glanced at Miller for a moment and replied, "Deal." He pushed the rest of the sample over to the barkeep. "I'll have Allen and Ricardo bring it by immediately. He turned and gestured for Ricardo to come join them.

Ricardo came up to where the Captain was after he finished another empathic sweep of the room. "You wanted to see me?"

Allen watched as Ricardo walked up to the bar. He wanted to smile at what Harvey was able to do with the trade, but didn't. Keeping things low profile and in character was what it was all about so far.

The Captain gave them instructions, and withdrew to the table Joey still anchored with two drinks exactly like Allen's. "A toast," he said with a smile, sticking to his merchant persona he so quickly adopted. "We made our first sale."

"We did? What did we sell exactly?" Joey asked, picking up her drink and pretending to take a sip of it. "And what did we 'pay' for it?"

"The Aldebaran whiskey," he told her. "I'm sure Selah would be disappointed, but we've got some credits and a small bit of information. Apparently, there's a successful Karemma installation on this level."

Joey leaned back and studied the individuals around the before looking back to Harvey. "Then it sounds like that's where we need to be. I can't imagine they'll welcome us with open arms, though. This could be where things get a bit sketchy," she said, taking a small sip of her drink to avoid insulting anyone.

Harvey took a sip of his drink, catching the gaze of a Dosi gazing at him from behind Joey. Just as soon as Harvey made eye contact, the Dosi looked away. Harvey looked down at his drink, startled by the incident. Now he wished he hadn't sent Allen and Ricardo away.

After spending as much time with him as she had been, Joey knew something wasn't right the second he looked down. She cocked her head to the side for a moment, then turned her head to glance over her shoulder in the direction he'd just been looking in. After spotting the Dosi, she looked back to Harvey. "What's wrong?"

He shook his head. "We can't stay here. As soon as they're back, we have to go." He then looked up at her. "Don't. Don't do anything. Don't make a scene."

He knows me well. Joey mused to herself. "No scene. I promise. My job is to protect you, and if I'm attempting to beat the snot out of someone that rubs you the wrong way, I wouldn't be doing that job," she pointed out. "Just as soon as the others are back, well move on."

Harvey was still looking at Joey, and as the Dosi was seated behind her, it was impossible for him not to notice the Dosi rising from her chair and leaving the bar. Harvey exhaled slowly. "I thought negotiating that deal was stressful."

Joey noticed her leaving and frowned. Something about the Dosi woman didn't sit well with her. She hoped like hell she was wrong, but her gut told her otherwise. "Sadly... I don't think we've seen the last of her. I really hope it was just a case of her being nosey, but I think it was more than that. We need to get out of here before she comes back with friends." Again, she hoped her gut was wrong.

---

Ricardo waited for Miller, then headed out back the way they had came and hoped the runabout was still there.

Allen caught up to Ricardo and kept pace as they headed out for the runabout to retrieve the case that had just been sold. He waited until they were out of the bar and well on their way before he looked to the Ensign. "Never realized that Harvey was such a good merchant. Guy barters like a Ferengi. I never want to be on the other side of that."

"I've seen better," Ricardo said as he walked down the corridor to the bay where the Mississippi was. "The quicker we get this done, the better. I don't like leaving the Captain alone no matter if Corwin was Close Protection or not."

"Good point, Ricardo," said Allen, as they reached runabout. He entered the codes and opened the hatch, going in. "Now, where was that case..." He looked to the left and behind a case of medical supplies. "Ahh, there it is." He hefted it up to his shoulder and looked to Ricardo. "I'll carry it for you. I just need a little security for the trip back in." Allen chuckled and smiled. "Seriously, though, you're right. We need to get back right away."

Ricardo made a point to check his .45 automatic and the spare clip before he tucked them away again. "There's so many people here that I'm getting mixed signals from an emotional standpoint. I don't know who is directing what at who. Let's go, Allen." He closed the shuttle hatch after nodding to Felix and Shep and headed back the way they had came.

Allen walked back into the bar carrying the case. He looked towards the table where the others had been sitting earlier. Gone. He quickly scanned the room as his stomach made its way up to his throat. He glanced to Ricardo and gestured his chin in the direction of the empty table. "I'll go drop this at the bar. Be right back, Ricardo."

Ricardo looked around and wondered where the Captain and Lieutenant Corwin had gone, especially after the message. "Let's just get out of here," he said. "He wouldn't have sent the message if it wasn't urgent."

"Agreed," said Allen. He took the case up to the bar and set in front of the bartender, patting the side of it. "I believe this is what you wanted? So, about the credits?" A small device was placed on the bar in front him. "Thanks, we'll be on our way now." Allen left the bar headed back to Ricardo. "Alright, let's go. We have to find Harvey and Joey."

---

Harvey nodded, consuming a sizable portion of his drink. He didn't like drinking, but this was all about appearances. Before lowering the glass, he held it close. Talking softly, he said, "Allen. Ricardo. Make haste." Setting the drink down on the table, he nodded to Joey. "Let's go."

Joey didn't want to drink, and she'd already taken a sip of the liquid in her glass, but she didn't trust any of these people. It would have been easy enough for them to have something slipped into them, and now she needed to watch Harvey for signs that were completely out of the ordinary for him. "You don't have to tell me twice," she said rising to her feet and moving over to his side. The Lieutenant was beginning to feel like a caged animal. Nothing good could come from that, but she was going to keep herself in check.

Harvey led her out of the bar, quickly darting eyes from left to right, looking for the Dosi who left the bar. Thankfully... or was it unnerving... that she couldn't be found. During this time, he took a moment to take in the nearby shops, taking careful note of the Argrathi Dream Chambers. Not wanting to look like a tourist, he started walking forward. "Where to next?" he asked Joey.

"If you're leaving it up to me, I think we should go see if we can get any information. The less time we have to be here, the better," she said. "We're the outsiders, and it doesn't take an empath to know most of these people don't want us here. We should do them a favor."

"I'm not walking into that Karemma bar without Allen and Ricardo," Harvey pointed out. "Besides, all we know right now is that there's a Karemma shop on this station. And it's not Confederation."

Joey looked around as they walked. "I doubt latinum would do us any good here. We could find a place and get you a tattoo," she said only half kidding.

"Would there be tattoo parlors out here? Isn't that just a human thing?" he asked.

"It is, and I noticed you didn't actually say no," she said as she choose a shop that sold various wares. It was far enough away from the bar to offer a little comfort, but not so far that Miller and Gutierrez wouldn't be able to find them.

"Ricardo to Harvey" Gutierrez's came over the Captain's subdermal com. "Where are you?" Ricardo looked at Allen, then nodded as he removed his hand from under jaw where it looked like he had scratched an itch while communicating with the other two members of the away team.

Harvey reached up to scratch his chin again. "Four doors down," he told the others. "Left side. Green archway." He didn't like not being able to describe where he was, nor operating in secret, but it was what was needed. He began to pilfer through the various fabrics in the shop, rubbing his fingers carefully on the fringe to get a feel of what was available in this time. "You're right," he told Joey, "I didn't say no." He wasn't exactly thrilled about the idea, but he imagined such a shop would be ripe with information. That would be worth marring his body. At least, if the information was usable.

"I don't mind another one. I've got three. Two you've seen...one you haven't," Joey said as she looked at some of the fabrics they had to offer. The tattoos she spoke of consisted of stars on her left wrist and flowers on her right foot. "Do you think we should attempt something like that?"

Harvey considered it as he looked through a collection of bolts. "If it gets us what we need, then it's worth whatever the price may be."

"As soon as Gutierrez and Miller get to us, we can see if they have something like that here," she said, pulling out a bolt of fabric that looked a lot like green felt. She held it up against herself and grinned. "What do you think? Think I could make something out of this?"

"That's an interesting material," he remarked, reaching out to feel the felt. "I didn't know you were into this sort of thing."

Allen walked into the location that they were given. He expected that Ricardo wasn't too far behind. Probably right on his actually. Neither one of them wanted to leave Harvey for too long. When he spied the two looking at fabric, he stopped short and smirked. Then he sauntered up, hands in his pockets. He knew his place in the rank structure, and he would probably get in all kinds of trouble if he made a comment about curtains. So he kept it to himself. "Harvey, Joey," he said, walking up, "find anything good?"

Sure enough, Ricardo was right behind Miller and he split off to go look at a different section of the shop that had a interesting microfiber on display, but close enough to hear what the team was saying and a vantage point for the doorway.

"I could figure out something for it, but I can wait until we get back," Joey said as she turned her attention over to him. "What do you think? Should we move on to somewhere else, or should I try to talk to the shop owner? I'm not entirely sure how much information we'll really get from here." She took note of Miller and Gutierrez, then back to Harvey to make the call. "Whatever we do, though, we shouldn't stay in one place for too long."

"Hello," a slender, red-skinned woman greeted Joey and Harvey. She'd noticed the aliens when they'd entered the shop and had been watching them closely. Something about the man with the woman seemed both attractive and familiar, but that didn't stop her from approaching the customers. "I see you are interested in the felt. Excellent choice."

Huh, Allen thought to himself, I guess they did find something good. The Petty Officer slowly fell back from the two senior officers and took up position several yards behind them and to the left. There, he found some odd feeling fabric with bright colors. He shook head, thinking how bad his sisters would tease him if they could see him now.

Joey looked toward the red skinned woman and offered her a polite smile. She didn't know if this particular shopkeeper would have any useful information for them, but it wouldn't hurt to try. "I am. How much?" she asked, running her fingers over the soft fabric.

"For you," she said, "five credits a meter. For him..." she said, indicating the pink-skinned escort beside the customer. "Well, we could come to an arrangement."

Brown eyes narrowed as the woman in front of her spoke, and the more she did, the more Joey imagined using the red-skinned woman as a dust mop on the very floor they stood on. What she wouldn't give to wrap her hands around her throat and squeeze until her eyes popped from her head. Swallowing back a lump of rage in her throat, the Lieutenant shook her head. "I'm not that interested. Thanks, but no thanks."

"What about you?" the red-skinned woman asked Harvey, almost as if she was ignoring his companion. "I'm sure there's... something that would please you."

"Yes... as a matter of fact, there is. Me," Joey said, trying to keep her cool. They were here to gather information, but this bitch was really starting to push her luck. Count to ten, Joey. One... two... screw it! She gave the woman a smile so sweet that combined with the words that left her mouth next was scary. "It would be wise to think about the next words that leave your mouth before you speak them, otherwise, we'll all be finding out if your blood is the same shade as your skin."

Ricardo didn't have to be an empath to sense the rising hostility from Corwin and came over with a bolt of the microfiber. "Excuse me, senorita," he said. "Could you tell me how much four meters of this would cost? I have no eye for value, but my eye for beauty is undiminished."

The shopkeeper was about to reply to the pink-skinned woman before another stranger interrupted. His features were indeed attractive, but there was still something about the man she was attempting to allure. This newcomer's words, however, were enough to distract her from the target. "For you?" She asked him. "Or for another? It does make a difference."

"Let's go," Harvey whispered to Joey, gently reaching over and placing his hand at the small of her back. This was as good of a time to leave while Ricardo had her distracted.

Joey didn't protest when Harvey began to gently usher her away from the woman. It was definitely for the best. If she stayed, things would only get worse. She was still angry, but the further away she got from the red-skinned woman, the calmer she got. Were there going to be others like her? Would it be better if she just made her way back to the runabout? Probably so, but actually doing that was another story. "I'm sorry," she said softly, hoping that would be the end of it.

"For me," Ricardo said with a charming smile.

"Normally, that fabric is six credits a meter," the shopkeeper replied, her smile a bit eager. "But, if you don't have it, I'm sure we can come up with something."

"I knew a thing of beauty had to have a price, but that's a bit out of my range at the moment," Ricardo said. "What kind of something do you have in mind?" he asked the woman as he reached out with his empathy to try to get a read on her.

She leaned in and whispered into his ear. "Follow me," she said, reaching out to collect his hand and lead him into the stock room.

Ricardo gave her a huge smile and a wink as he took her head and headed towards the back room with her. "I have a feeling that I may be getting the better bargain here, senorita," he said.

Outside, Harvey replied to Joey, "What are you sorry for? We all knew this wasn't going to be a walk in a park." Truth be told, this station made him quite uncomfortable. He was not an outgoing person at all. Every word he'd said, every action taken, and every footstep was all to make sure he could bring everyone home.

"I'm sorry for letting my temper get the best of me," she replied, standing off to the side of the door to wait for the other two Security officers to join them once more. "Yes, we came here knowing it wasn't going to be a walk in the park, but we also came here knowing we needed to be as friendly as possible. I just couldn't stand there and let her keep talking to you the way she was."

"I have to admit," Harvey said, "I've never been talked to like that. It was... well..."

"Thankfully, it's over now, and as soon as Miller and Gutierrez get back, we can move on," Joey said, casting a glance back toward the shop they'd just exited. She was a bit embarrassed by her behavior, and had a feeling that this 'fabric' shop was a front for something else entirely.

Allen had watched Harvey and Joey leave the shop and was following at a distance. He turned back to check on the last place he saw Ricardo and did not find him...or the shopkeeper. For a split second, he was torn between looking for his fellow security officer and going to the two. Realizing, though, that he might not want to find Ricardo at the moment, he opted for Harvey. It was easy to catch up to them since they had stopped outside the shop.

"Harvey," he began, "Ricardo is...gone. And so is the shopkeeper he was talking to. It's just us for now."

Joey couldn't say she was surprised by the news. "I guess she figured since she couldn't have Harvey she'd go for Ricardo. Watch yourself, Allen. You're likely going to be next," she said with a shake of her head. "Stay here with Harvey and wait for Ricardo to come back. I'm going to go look around... see if I can't find a place that looks promising."

Allen chuckled, "Oh I'll definitely be watching out. That's for sure. Now, as for staying with Harvey, I understand that, but do you think it's really a good idea to go wondering off by yourself?" asked Allen. He knew that she could take care of herself, but this was a different world with different aliens.

"Remind me to tell you about my Starfleet career up until this point," Joey said to Allen as she mentally prepared herself to go ahead. The last thing she needed was to lose her temper again, and hoped like hell the aliens on the station would work with her and not against her from this point.

"Joey can handle herself," Harvey said, looking back into the textile shop. Reaching up to scratch his chin, he said in a low tone, "Harvey to Ricardo. What's going on back there?"

In the back room, the shopkeeper wrapped her arms around the alien. "Now that we're alone..." she said, her arms beginning to dissolve into a gelatinous goo and wrap around Ricardo. "Let us enjoy ourselves."

"Noooo! You supposed to turn to goo after I'm done, not before!" Ricardo declared before he tore himself away from what he now knew to be a Founder and ran the questionable safety of the promenade.

"Come back!" she urged, quickly changing back to a solid form and running after him. She was about to cry out for security.

"I don't think so!" Ricardo said and ran faster as he worked to put distance between the two of them. "I'm being attacked by a Changeling!" he said over the subdermal link as he jumped over a table, thankful for the intense training that the Chief and Assistant Chief demanded of Security. "Help! I'm being attacked!" he shouted out loud to get the attention of more people in the hope that the Changeling would stop.

Harvey turned to see the security officer barrel out of the backroom and towards the exit. What he didn't see was a changeling, but rather the red-skinned shop owner.

"Thief!" she shouted at the man, angry that she was both rejected and that he hadn't rendered any form of payment for the cloth he desired.

Just as she was about to walk away, Joey stopped when she heard the commotion coming from the shop. This just got better and better. Like Harvey, though, she saw the red-skinned woman chasing him through the shop and Ricardo jumping over displays as if he was an Olympic gold medalist for jumping hurdles. She gave a groan. So much for not drawing attention to themselves.

"There's a lesson to be learned here," she snapped as she moved back into the shop to aid Ricardo in his escape. "Save the seduction for people who actually know what they're doing and keep it in your pants." As she spoke to the Spanish man, she reached for something light enough to maneuver, but heavy enough to knock the woman out without doing any permanent damage, then swung with the precision of a pro baseball player.

"Keep your cloth!" Ricardo shouted over his shoulder even though he hadn't taken the microfiber bolt of cloth with him to the store room. "I'm not down with the goo!" With that, he cleared the exit and looked at Harvey and the others. "It's time go to! She's a Changeling!"

Just then, two reptilian looking creatures appeared with side arms drawn. "What is going on here?" one of them gruffed.

The shopkeeper, having made it to the door by this time, looked at the reptilians and then at the four aliens. Her gaze immediately was cast downturn and she replied. "N... Nothing, officer. Just some window-shoppers, that's all."

Harvey raised an eyebrow at the shopkeeper. Her sudden change in attitude was alarming. A Founder who did not wish to cause trouble? Things were certainly quite different in this universe. "That's right, officer. We were just browsing."

The reptilian looked at the shopkeeper, then the aliens, and scowled. "Carry on, pink skins. Cause trouble and you will pay."

Ricardo took a deep breath, glad he wasn't about to be arrested or molested. "Let's get the frak out of here," he said quietly. "This place isn't going to yield any information that's useful. We're too alien."

"There's a statement," Harvey muttered. He nodded to the reptilian security as he began to walk away. "So, where to next? We need a lower profile." That was saying something since the arrival of security had turned many heads in their direction.

Joey, who'd somehow managed to pull back on the item she was swinging in the other woman's direction, set the object down when Security showed up. She no longer wanted to throttle her, but preferred to get her hands on Ricardo for causing so much trouble. Anger began to bubble up inside of her once again, but she managed to keep it in check. "We go this way," she said, walking out of the shop and continuing on in the direction they'd chosen in the first place.

Hoping the others were following, she moved down the corridor and looked into various shops as she went along. Nothing really caught her eye until she came across one for body modifications. If there was any kind of information to be had, this was the kind of place to get it. Joey took a deep breath and walked inside. Now it was her turn to take one for the team, and here was hoping she wouldn't have to deal with any red-skinned individuals.

Harvey looked around this new establishment. He'd seen plenty of tattoo parlors before, but had never had the courage to step inside one. He reflected on his earlier conversation with Joey and began to look at the various images on the wall to see if there was anything he'd be willing to bear on his person. After all, if he didn't like it, he could always have it removed once they returned to the Black Hawk.

His mind also thought about strapping Ricardo to the chair and having something imprinted onto him for his actions in the last shop. He was supposed to be a security escort, not looking for his own pleasure. Harvey shook his head just as quickly as the thought came. No, he wasn't that kind of a Captain.

"What do you think?" he asked Joey, still looking at the images around the room.

"I think I'm up," she said, already knowing what she wanted to get and where. Without any hesitation, she looked around for one of the artists and moved over to stand next to a vacant chair. Joey knew she was likely going to have to draw what she had in mind, but that wouldn't be an issue. Gripping the hem of her top, she lifted it and pulled it over her head before settling down to wait.

A Paradan with piercings along his cranial ridge exited the backroom and came into the main parlor. He immediately took note of the smooth, pale-skinned customers. "It's only me today," he told them, approaching the one in the chair who'd already peeled off some clothing. Already, he thought of specific pigments he could use. "So, if you're all wanting something, you'll have to wait."

Harvey sat down near Joey, if only to keep an ear on the conversation. A datapad with more images was on the seat next to him, so he picked it up to thumb through them.

The Paradan sat beside Joey. "I don't think I've seen your kind before."

"We've been getting that a lot lately," Joey said, shifting around a bit to make herself a bit more comfortable. "I've already got what I want in mind, but I don't know if you've ever seen or heard of a turtle before. I can draw it if you need me to." She looked around before turning her attention back to the artist. "How long have you been doing this?"

Meanwhile, Ricardo had went to look at the images that Harvey was and coughed. "I was just trying to get information," he said quietly.

"Ten cycles now," he told her. While the Paradan language was in the translator, their concept of time was measured quite differently than the Federation. "And, no I've never seen a turtle before. It sounds quite dangerous." He lifted a nearby sketchpad and handed it to the woman.

After accepting the sketch pad, Joey began the process of drawing the turtle just the way she pictured it in her mind. While she did her thing, she chose to keep up with the conversation. "They're really not dangerous animals, though some species can be a bit hostile. Do you often deal with quite dangerous beings?"

The Paradan scoffed. "Everyone's dangerous," he said, nodding even at the weapon in her companion's holster. "The real danger is not on the outside. Everyone wants something, whether it's profit or survival. Most of the time, you don't know until it's too late."

He observed the creature she drew, thinking of the pigments he'd have to use. "You might be interested in this." He opened a small vial and dabbed a bit of the colored liquid onto his finger. The moment it touched, it started to glow. It wasn't a strong glow, but enough to tell that it was bioluminescent. "It's harmless, but draws energy from the skin to create its glow."

"I like that. Let's do it," she said, sitting up so she could unclasp her bra. For the placement she had in mind, at least one side of it had to come off, but she was careful to keep from exposing too much with her arm before she laid on her side. After showing him the area where she wanted it, she got her mind ready for the pain that was to come. "Since we're new here, any chance you can tell us who or what we should be on the lookout for?"

"Everyone," he said with a slight grunt. "Razmena specializes in the black market. There are too many houses who are represented here, and just them combined is enough to scare off the Confederates." He began to get his tools ready, even going so far as to brush a couple things against the skin of her lower abdomen to check for allergies. "But, that won't stop anyone from collecting a good bounty when there's one. Everyone needs money, or favors."

Thankfully, she had no reaction to what he'd just done to her. She raised an arm above her head to tighten the skin she was getting tattooed, then pulled her shirt over to cover the exposed skin. "The Confederates? What can you tell me about them?"

Allen had followed the team in and started looking at the images around the room while listening to the conversation. So far, things seemed to be looking up for them. The Petty Officer turned around just in time to see Joey with her shirt off and half uncovered. For a few seconds, he stared. Then he smiled as he seemed to look beyond Joey and the Paradan to his last duty assignment. K’Lara, Daughter of Dukath, of the House of Antaak and CPO in Operations. Her father was Klingon and her mother was half Klingon. So K'Lara was three quarters Klingon. Allen had always told her that she was three quarters Klingon by blood, but as far as he was concerned...she was all Klingon. For Allen Miller, human women were...soft. Too soft. He turned his attention back to the images in the room and wondered if he would ever see K'Lara again.

"No one here likes them," the Paradan said. "They monopolize, no chance for anyone. Their knowledge of commerce is unparalleled, and everything they do is tied to it, even war. But, at least you're on this side, and not near the Vorta." He retrieved the sketchpad and gave it a good study. It would be a fairly simple design, but he had plenty of creative outlets with the bioluminescent paint with the outline and the center. "Is this your first?"

"No. I have three others," the tall woman replied, watching the Paradan, she had to wonder how much she'd be able to get him to say before he didn't want to talk anymore. "Do they come here often? Any of them?" She swallowed a lump in her throat, looking a little nervous as they spoke, and she was about to reveal the reason. "It looks like we might be here for a while, and these... Confederates... sound like individuals we may want to avoid. Can you tell me where their base of operations is... what they do with captured ships and people if we're not lucky... what routes they might normally take?"

"You ask a lot of questions," he said, beginning to work. He'd filled his machine with a vial of yellow bioluminescent and began to sterilize the needed and the skin he'd be working on.

"It's like I said... we plan to be here for a while, and based on what you have told me already, these are individuals we want to steer clear of," Joey said, still watching him as he worked. This entire process wasn't new to her, but trying to pump the artist for information was. "Like you said... they monopolize... and no one has seen our kind here before. I would say that puts a rather large target on our backs. You'd be helping us quite a bit if you could answer some of them."

"Yeah, but help isn't free. Sure, you might pass as Teplans for a while, but..." He finished with the sterilizing cloths and picked up his ink pen to set to work on the inside of the turtle. "Well, I'm just surprised no one's come after you all yet. Solicitors, bruisers, traders, slavers... Everyone's looking to make a living, and fresh blood is always a target."

"And everyone has a price," she said as her eyes closed when he set to work. It was time to find her zen place... a beach in Hawaii with nothing but a surfboard. He had to have a price to give them what they wanted to know, it was just a matter of finding out what it was. "What if I offered to expand your portfolio? At the end of the day, you'd appeal to more clientele, therefore making you more than what you do now. If that doesn't work for you, then name it, and we'll go from there.

"You're just saying that because there's no one here," he remarked, completing the outline for the yellow. "Are there more of you here than just you and your three escorts?"

"Does it matter?" Joey asked, fixing her gaze on the Paradan man in front of her. "If you aren't interested in my offer, or making one yourself, then maybe you can point me in the direction of someone who might."

The Paradan grunted. "I'm a simple body modification artist. If it's help you want, you might talk to one of the mob bosses or larger establishments here."

Joey grinned. "There's nothing simple about what you do. The types you mentioned... they love places like this. You can't tell me you don't know anything. In fact... I think you're just playing hard to get, so I'm going to ask one more time, then we'll move on once you're done. What's your price?"

The artist stopped, looked up at the companions and then back to Joey. "Business is... not the best. I have a family to feed, and the different powers here, they don't always pay. Any more cycles like this, I might as well surrender myself to the slavers."

The Paradan just had to play on her sympathies. She may have done a lot over the span of her career... done things she wasn't necessarily proud of... but she still had a heart. Especially when it came to family. "What if I could offer you a way to feed your family without worry? Would you tell me everything you know then?" Joey would suffer the consequences later, but right now she felt as though she'd been thrown under the shuttle and had to come up with something to get him talking, and sadly... none of her companions were offering up ideas. She was on her own.

He switched off the pen and prepared to change ink. "What? Do you have a endless supply of foodstuffs that you can just pass off?" He nodded slightly towards her companions. "And what of them? Are you their leader or are you all minions for some nefarious warlord?"

"Yes... you could say I have an endless supply that I can pass off, but the only way I hand it over is if you start talking," she said, avoiding eye contact with Harvey and the others. If they wanted their people back, it would have to be by any means necessary. "We aren't minions of a nefarious warlord, and I'm not really their leader, either. We aren't from around here. Now... do we have a deal? Are you going to start talking?" She didn't want to offer up anymore personal information than that.

He replaced the vial with one of another bioluminescent pigment. Already, he could see the glow of the first color he'd embedded into her skin. "The Confederation does not operate on Razmena," he said, going back to work. "But they do have eyes and ears. I can't say they're always watching. But one can't hide from them forever. And, since everything is tied to commerce, outside of here, you have to have their currency to pass their space. Tolls, docking fees, taxes... You can't go anywhere without it."

Now they were getting somewhere. "So, if they don't operate here, where is their base of operations, and what do they do with ships and crews when they're captured?"

"They're based out of the Karemma homeworld, but they're everywhere," he said. "But, even with the Karemma... they're tight-fisted, you know? So if they find something, they take it to the closest examination port for processing. From there... who knows."

"So... there's more than one examination port?" Joey asked, hoping she didn't distract him from finishing up his work.

"They say there's one per sector. Usually in places you can't find on a map." The artist continued to fill out the flower that was meant to be inside the turtle.

"Do you know who heads up this Confederation? Or who they want others to think heads it up?" she asked.

Meanwhile, Ricardo finished looking at the tattoo flash and went over to where Miller was standing. "So what do you think, Allen?" he asked. "Getting a tattoo is really taking one for the team."

"It is," he replied. "Especially out here. But I guess if she doesn't like it, Doctor Kij can fix it. I don't know what I'd do to take one for the team, though. I guess it would take being in the situation."

"I know one thing," Ricardo said. "I'm done with trying to seduce women for information." He shuddered. "When we went into her stockroom, she started to turn into a blob of goo while holding onto me."

"I can't even began to imagine," he said. "And honestly, really don't want to." Changing the subject off of Changeling blobs, Allen said, "So, who do you think will take one for the team next, me or Harvey? I say Harvey. And then we'll have everything we need as far as information and I'm safe." Allen smirked.

"No way, ese," Ricardo said with a laugh. "It's definitely your turn."

"Oh no, not a chance," Allen replied, laughing. "I forfeit my turn, or pass, or whatever you want to call it. This old boy is going back all in one piece with nothing differing."

Joey, who couldn't help but overhear the two Security officers talking, turned her head in their direction. "No worries, fellas. I'll do what I do best and do what needs to be done to move forward," she said, still not wanting to provide too much information regarding their real reason for being there. "You two can continue to stand close by and look pretty while you do it. I've got this."

Harvey did his best to stifle a chuckle, though it did emerge as a short grunt and a grin. Glancing up at Joey, his gaze quickly returned to the images in his hand. It seemed to be quite the portfolio for such a lowly Paradan.

Meanwhile, the artist finished with that pigment and pulled out a blue color. "There's no single leader. The best way to describe it is a Consortium of wealthy Dosi, Karemma and Selamat. And, if I ever get a choice between the three, I certainly would take my chances with a Dosi or Karemma."

"Ricardo... Allen... go retrieve the replicator. Bring back a case of ale, too," Joey ordered, trying to crane her head so she could see the Paradan's work. She didn't have the best view of it, but from what she could see pleased her immensely. "I'm impressed so far. Can you tell me anything else that might be useful?"

"You got it, Joey." Allen turned to Ricardo and nodded to the door. "Shall we, baby face?" Allen laughed, knowing that in a different situation, he never would have been able to get away with that.

"Baby face?" Ricardo grunted. "Remind me to take you to the boxing ring when we get back."

As the mention of a replicator, Harvey's eyes shot upward, instantly meeting Joey's gaze. Out of all of his insisting on not leaving Federation technology behind, that rule was suddenly broken. Now he wished he carried a phaser at his side and not a projectile weapon.

And a uniform.

He'd also been listening to the conversation Joey was having with the Paradan. If Harvey were to protest now, this would all be for naught.

"Depends on your definition of useful," the artist said. "You can stay here on Razmena, peddle your wares. But if you want a decent life, and if you don't care how you feel about accomplishing it, then maybe the Confederation is for you."

Joey could feel Harvey's eyes on her, and knew she was going to get an earful for what she'd done, but they were getting what they needed to save the lives of one hundred and fifty people. It was a small price to pay, and she was woman enough to take whatever came her way in the form of punishment. That was something she'd have to deal with later, though. "From what you've been telling me, I can say the Confederation is not for me," she said. "Where is their nearest base of operations to Razmena? We'd like to avoid it if possible."

The artist simply replied, "The Teplan Sector."

Harvey frowned and looked away. He knew the Black Hawk had fired a probe at Teplan. This only confirmed his fears that he shouldn't have left the ship alone. All he could do was hope that the Teplans couldn't trace the probe back to the ship.

Well... at least now they had a place to start looking when the time came for it, and she was thinking the same thing Harvey was. Nothing could ever be easy. "Thank you," Joey said, waiting for him to finish up with her. "You've been quite helpful." Now all she had to do was wait for him to finish up with her so Harvey could pull her aside and demote her for what she'd done.

As the artist continued to work, Harvey continued to flip through the images. They no longer registered in his mind. His thoughts rested with the five hundred souls left behind in some nameless nebula. Right now, he could only wonder how they were doing and pray that they were out of harm's way.

---

Ricardo headed back the way they had came and gave the cloth shop owned by the Founder a wide berth as he headed towards the docking bay. "Man, Allen, I'll be glad to get off this station with the way everyone is looking at us."

Allen followed Ricardo and nodded his head. "You and me both. Oh, and you're on for that boxing ring." He grinned at Ricardo, know that he was likely to get whipped in the ring. But it would be nice to hang out with someone new off duty. "So what are we looking at for time?" he asked, a little quieter.

Ricardo gave a shrug. "Maybe twenty minutes at the outside," he said. "I just thought we weren't supposed to be giving away Federation technology. Oh well, it's not my head on the chopping block. I'm just a pretty face like you. Let's get this done and get back."

Allen laughed. "Makes me wish I'd smuggled a phaser after all. Set that thing to maximum and blow a hole in a wall. Then sell it to the highest bidder, take the Confederation credits, and run like hell for the runabout. 'Cause you and I both know that at maximum there's only one shot. Then it's nothing more than a paperweight." He shrugged. "Eh, let's do this." He banged on the side of the runabout before opening the door and stepping in. He turned to Ricardo, "You coming, baby face? Or am I going to have to do this all by myself?" Allen was going to milk this as long as he could.

"I got your baby face," Ricardo muttered as he gave a wave to the men in the runabout cabin after putting in the access code and heading for the replicator. "Get the ale, sissy boy," he told Allen. "I'll get this thing pulled out."

Allen walked over to where they had the ale stored and pulled a container out. He hefted it up and set it on his shoulder. "I'm all set. Seriously though, you box?"

"How do you think I got this awesome body?" Ricardo said with a flex of his right bicep. "It isn't from eating in the enlisted mess hall, that's for sure. Give me a hand disconnecting the power source. The Paradan is gonna be pissed when he learns it isn't powered."

Allen put the container of ale down near where Ricardo was working. "Oh no, I am so going to pay for that 'baby face' crack." He knelt down to help Ricardo and considered clapping, but passed for now. "Yeah, I don't want to be anywhere near here when he tries to power it up."

"Eh, not my problem," Ricardo said. "We weren't told to bring on. Still, if he's resourceful, he could probably find one in that black market of a space station, especially if he wants to feed his family. Don't forget the matter holding tank."

"Yeah, needing food is pretty good motivator for innovation." Allen removed the matter holding tank and put it on top of the container of ale. "Okay," he said standing back up, "let's make a deal." He picked up his load and headed out the door. Calling back over his shoulder, he said, "Don't forget to the lock the door. This neighborhood isn't so great."

Ricardo grunted as he lifted the replicator and headed out of the runabout and paused for it to close behind him. "What kind of deal?" he asked as he repositioned his load and headed after Allen.

"You don't mess up my pretty face too much in the ring," said Allen, "and I won't tell anyone you were, uh, accosted, by a female Changeling in her backroom."

"You would, wouldn't you?" Ricardo grunted as he followed him back through the corridors. "If I hear a single word about that and it traces back to you...you better have a good picture of what you look like now."

"You know it!" Allen said. "Oh believe me, I've got some good pictures of what I look like now. And if it gets out, it will most certainly not be from me. Harvey...Joey...either one of them would be your source. But not this face, Ricardo, not this face." Allen remembered the wide berth Ricardo gave the cloth shop and followed suit this time.

"Wait until the women on the ship hear about how pretty you think you are," Ricardo laughed. "You didn't say I couldn't crack jokes about your vanity. The shop's over there, amigo."

"No, I didn't. So feel free, amigo," said Allen. "It's all free press." He chuckled as he entered the shop where they left Harvey and Joey.

Ricardo came in behind him with the replicator and looked around. "We got everything," he said. "How's the tattoo coming, Joey?" he asked as he looked for a place to set it down.

"It's just about finished, I think," she replied, glancing over at the two men as they came back into the shop. Joey had some things she needed to tell the Paradan, but that needed to wait until after he was done and she was dressed so there wouldn't be any unwanted lines drawn on her body... or worse. "How's it looking?" Her last question was for any of the four men present since she was having a hard time seeing it without a mirror.

Ricardo set the replicator down and moved around so he could get a better look. "That's amazing, Joey," he said as he angled for a better look without getting in the Paradan's way. "Absolutely amazing. Fantastic work of art."

Allen smirked. She was no Klingon, but.... He moved around near Ricardo. "Yeah, what he said. Uh, hey, is that thing actually glowing?! Holy...that's...incredible. Will it glow in the dark?"

Harvey shot both men a look. He wasn't surprised that Ricardo would be so eager to have a look, but Allen too? Harvey hadn't pegged himself for the jealous type, but this station had forced him to act as many roles today.

"It will glow all the time," the artist said with a gruff. "Only hatchlings care if it glows in the dark. And yes, it's just about finished." In fact, he had the final ink in his machine and was applying the final touches.

"Based on their reactions, I'm looking forward to seeing it," Joey said, trying to angle her head again to get a better look at it. Sadly, her view wasn't as good as everyone else's was, but she could tell it was glowing. This tattoo was going to take some getting used to, but she already loved it as much as she did the other three. "If I'm ever back this way..." Though, she knew she never would be once their people were back. "I'll have to come see you for another one."

"I must say," the Paradan said, turning off the machine and taking a final look, "it is the best turtle I have ever made." With a grunt, he looked to her companions. "Anyone else?" he asked, before turning to look at the foreign device that sat on his counter.

Ricardo looked up when he felt the wave of jealousy coming from the Captain and moved back to where he had been standing at before. "I've always been amazed by tattoos," he commented. "I have two myself, but I've never seen anyone get jealous of someone looking at one."

Allen smirked. He'd never been called a hatchling before. "Still, it's very good work." He backed away and over to the other side of Harvey. Kind of a default place now that he thought about it, securing and protecting and all.

"We probably need to be on our way," Harvey said to the Paradan, though his eyes rested on the replicator on the counter. All he could do now was hope that replicator technology already existed elsewhere. Reverse engineering what they'd just given would make anyone wealthy.

When Joey was done, she sat up to put her top on, keeping her back turned to the four men around her. She looked to the Paradan once her clothes were back in place and cleared her throat. "This..." she said, gesturing to the replicator and case of ale. "Is more than enough payment for the tattoo and information you provided us with. You will have to come up with a power source for it. Sadly, we don't have that." It was a little white lie, but she didn't think he'd have any issues finding one. "The case of ale will help you get that."

"Thank you," he told Joey, his face bearing more than enough of a grateful expression for a Paradan.

"You're welcome, and thank you," she said. On impulse, she moved over to hug the man before she quickly walked out of the shop.

Harvey followed her, but not before he had one last look at the replicator on the counter. Someone would have to answer for that, but the time for that would be later. The information was worth it. At least, he hoped it was. "It might be about time to check in with the others," Harvey told Joey. As much as he wanted to talk about the replicator, doing so out in the open would not be smart.

Ricardo headed out after Joey and the Captain, happy that no one else had turned to goo on them and that they had gotten some useful information. He just wondered what the cost of it would be. "Not to mention the small matter of our docking fee we have yet to make the credits for."

"We'll talk when we get back," Joey whispered to Harvey. She knew he'd want to discuss what she'd done, and she planned to defend the choice she made without question as well as face any repercussions that might come her way. There was no way he would take the fall for something she'd done. "We'll worry about that when the time comes. For now, let's meet up with the others."

After everyone had left, the Paradan looked back over to the chair where she'd sat and withdrew a small scanner from his back pocket. After activating it and scanning the chair, he smirked. He was excited about the replicator, but this unknown gift would be more rewarding.

 

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