War is good for business
Posted on Sunday September 1st, 2019 @ 16:13 hours by Lorpax
Edited on on Sunday September 1st, 2019 @ 17:58 hours
Mission:
Hot Couture
Location: A run down bar on Rangalor 5’s orbital facility
Timeline: MD 02 - 1231
718 words - 1.4 OF Standard Post Measure
Lorpax loathed the station on which he now found himself calling home. It was shabby, bland, and in his opinion had no sense of style. The walls were a dark green, and rust could be seen through their peeling paint. Lights were known to flicker, and entire sections of the station would lose power intimittently. But it did have one perk. It was a descreet enough to carry out illicit business transactions. His latest commodity? Information. A gang of Orions had just left his presence at his usual table tucked away in the corner of a flea pit of a bar. They had just been sold information on the whereabouts of a gang of Nausican’s who just happened to be his next appointment. He tucked a tidy sum of Latenum strips into his intricately tailored suit jacket, and reminded himself of rule of acquisition number 62; ‘the riskier the road, the greater the profit.’
Although he hadn’t had dealings with his home world for several years, he still treasured their core values. Indeed no Ferengi would deal with him at all. They had stripped him of everything, auctioned off every one of his possessions, leaving him with nothing but the shirt on his own back, which he was given a generous 48 hours to surrender. Even his wife was ‘confiscated’ from him. Not that he minded. She had become a terrible drain on his profits.
He looked around the bar anxiously anticipating the Nausican’s arrival. They were never his favourite species to do business with. They just didn’t seem to conduct themselves in anything near a business like manner. But none the less they were willing to pay, and to pay well at that. Raising a hand in the air signalled the barman to his table. “More tube grubs please,” He half asked, half demanded.
“I am afraid that we are out of tube grubs, sir,” came the surprisingly welcome reply. Lorpax had only half an hour previously watched as they liberated the last few grubs onto a late for him. He had taken note of this of course, and now was his time to cease a business opportunity.
“I know where you can acquire some more,” he chirped. “For a very reasonable price too.”
“And why would I want to acquire tube grubs,” the Bolian bar keeper sneered. “You are the only customer I get in here that eats them.”
“Good customers are as rare as latenum, treasure them,” the Ferengi recited warningly.
“I’ll manage,” grunted the bar keeps reply. “Is there anything else I can get for sir?”
“A bottle of what ever it is Nausican’s drink,” Lorpax squeaked excitedly as his customers were sighted at the door.
The two towering Nausican’s shuffled their way threateningly toward where the Ferengi sat, and loomed over him as if a violent murder was about to take place. “You better not be swindling us Ferengi,” the tallest of the two boomed, before they both took their places in the seats opposite.
Lorpax place his hand over his heart in what he hoped was a convincing act. “I am shocked that you would think that I could be capable of swindling.” He allowed a pause just short enough that a counter argument couldn’t take place. “I trust you have the Latenum?”
With a grunt the silent Nausican slid 2 bars of latenum across the table at the Ferengi, who swiftly removed it from the table and slipped it away.
“On here,” he said, producing a data chip seemingly out of no where. “Is the where about of your Orion friends base of operations. I trust it meets your satisfa....” he trailed off.
A small group of Orions had turned up at the entrance to the bar. Or maybe more accurately returned, for these were the same Orions that only minutes ago Lorpax had sold information concerning his current customers.
As the Nasusicans turned to see the pie enemy arrive behind them, Lorpax rose from the table and hastily ran, avoiding his two sets of customers, only because they were now too busy with each other. But he knew this wasn’t going to end well for him. He had to hide. He had to get off of this station.
Lorpax
Ships physician