GENESIS A Ferengi Behind Every Deal

Posted on Sun Nov 15th, 2020 @ 11:54pm by Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Commander Savar cha'Salik hei-Surak Talek-sen-deen & Lieutenant Aurora Vali

Mission: Healing of Minds
Location: ShiKahr
Timeline: After "Bait"

Vornick sighed as he began to set up his shop for both the locals as well as the tourists. it was going to be another hot day but then everyday on Vulcan was a hot day and stopping to gripe about it just wasted time and as every Ferengi knew time was money. Just like there were suckers er customers born every day and on that uplifting note, he readied himself for another day and the suckers it brought forth.

He had the usual trinkets on display but he wanted/needed something bigger, to make the sale of a lifetime. He was waiting for his 'buyer' to contact him. Slag said he was on the trail of some really unusual items this time. Vornick hoped so there were only so many fake deeds to Andorian water processors one could sell as well along with Dabo board games for the family. His new pitch was to sell mineral rights in the L-langon Mountains. Thankfully the mountains were vast and the claims locations were vague and no one had come back to complain. Of course if someone did he would quote the Ferengi golden rule. "Buyer beware."

As the sun slowly rose, he readied himself for the day and cursed Slag for being so unreliable.

Slag meanwhile was still inbound with a new and exciting cargo-hold brimming with acquisitions. There was the usual suspects, replicas and bad impressions of various different Vulcan deities and cultural figures, but this time he'd found a few pearls he was sure were going to fetch quite the price. Two crates sat secured towards the rear of the hold - carefully packed so the goods were not damaged. He'd found them on a drifting freighter some distance from here. The crew were dead so who was he not to profit from their loss?

Also in the crates was the very old, very authentic Stone of Gol. It had been on the ship Slag has come across along with a cargo hold full of artifacts. The Stone however was sure to bring big bucks if the right buyer could be found.

Vornick waited impatiently for Slag, knowing the Federation ship Liberty was due to arrive at any tick of the clock and with it hundreds of potential customers. Vulcan wasn't known for it's bustling tourist trade, it was a hot arid climate that most people came to see the cultural highlights and that was about it. Still it had kept the latinum coming in to the point where he was making a comfortable living. If this haul that Slag had been bragging about was all that he talked it up to be they were about to be very wealthy indeed.

Slag had landed at the spaceport, His papers were in order(as usual) and the crates offloaded onto cargo hauler. Inside an hour he would see Vornick and they could decide with pieces to demand the higher prices for.

Vornick paced, eager to acquire the latest of greatest for his market. The tourists were starting to emerge from their accomodations, dressed to avoid the harsh Vulcan sun. He heard the cargo hauler and dashed as fast as his short legs would allow him towards it. Slag better have a damned good reason for being late.

Slag saw Vornick running to meet him and as tempting as it was to run him over 'accidentally' of course it wasn't worth the endless questions he would get from the Vulcans. Stopping a few feet in front of Vornick he hopped out. "Vornick! Come see what I have for us! It is a real bonanza."

"It better be Slag - I've been waiting for hours. If you don't have something worth every slip of late charges I swear I'll take it out of your finders fee" Vornick retorted, trying to conceal his eagerness with a healthy dose of cynicism.

Slag waved of Vornick's complaints. He was tight even for a Ferengi but he was also a shrew businessman. "Stop your complaining and hop up here and see what I got."

Vornick knew when the line of business would be crossed if he pushed the whole lateness issue too hard. Instead he shut his mouth and followed Slag into the depths of the cargo-hauler.

" It looks like the same boxes of fakes and counterfeits you normally supply" He said with an air of disgust.

"Forget those." Slag replied dismissively. "Come look in this crate. This where the good stuff is." He replied. As he pried the top off with a crowbar, pulled out all the packing and then held up a Bajorian Orb. "Now what do you say? Or has a Klingon got your tongue?"

Vornick knew better than to ask where Slag found it - if he was questioned he would have plausible deniability. " That's just a good replica...I could have picked those up from Bajor myself" He retorted, hoping to call Slag's bluff.

"Replica?!" Slag retorted hotly. " Get your eyes examined. This a real Bajorian Orb! We can name our price on this one item alone."

" I call replica!" Vornick replied just as hotly " They're a dime a dozen, barely worth 2 slips." He examined the slowly spinning orb inside the timber box, blue and shimmering.

"Replica is it? Fine I'll keep this for myself and you can have all the other ju....quality merchandise I brought." Slag replied. If Vornick wanted to pass up an opportunity to get rich that was fine with him.

" Wait wait wait wait... I was merely trying to ascertain the authenticity of the item. Let's not be hasty here." Vornick backtracked, rubbing his lobes and hoping that Slag would come to the party. " What is your price?"

"I'm not. You were." Slag clarified. "So now you want to haggle on the price? I don't think so Vornick. I'll just keep this item and go and make my own deal. Now if you'll excuse me." He said in a huff as he headed for the cargo hauler.

" Where else do you think you'll flog a REAL Bajoran Orb? Planning on selling it back to the Bajorans? They'll cut off your lobes and burn them in the fire caves. Now let me take this off your hands so you can keep your lobes intact" Vornick countered, stepping in between Slag and the hauler.

"Get out of my way. I'll sell it to the Cardassians. They will love having an orb and holding it for ransom against the Bajorans.." Slag countered "Or maybe the Romulans would be interested." He muttered as his eyes took on a faraway glint.

" Wait! I'll give you 100 slips..., you don't want them finding out where you stole it from do you?" Vornick bluffed, he had no idea but Slag didn't know that.

Slag laughed at him, "A 100 slips? What an insult. You are cheap Vornick and I didn't steal it. However if you want to say I did, go ahead and them you'll never get anything for it. A deal missed is profit lost. Rule of Acquisition 67."

" Fine... 300 slips" Vornick countered, still not letting Slag pass by him. He knew he was walking a very fine line.

"Get...out...of... my..way." Slag said through gritted teeth. You said you didn't want this replica. Though 300 slips does warm me slightly."

" 500 slips! Thats my final offer. You know no-one pays as well as I do" Vornick stammered, almost pleading with Slag to come to the party.

500 slips? And you said it was your final offer? Good! Now I can leave and sell my treasure to the Cardassians, or the Romulans. Maybe the Breen." He continued."

" Fine... 5 bars. That's it. That's my final offer" Vornick bowed his head, knowing that really was his final offer. If Slag didn't accept it then he would have to walk away from the deal.

Slag didn't answer. He liked seeing Vornick knocked off his pedestal. "I don't know." He hedged, as a FNS news brief came across the hauler's com. "Still no word on the missing Bajoran Orb of Elements, stolen a little over three weeks ago and with no leads, authorities are at a loss."

" You need to get this off your hands now Slag - if any you're caught with it you'll rot in some Federation penal colony. Take the offer of 5 bars, and get the hell off this rock... I'll give you a whole bar for the rest of the cargo" Vornick pushed his point, hoping that Slag would crumble and want the Orb off his hands.

"Yeah maybe." Slag admitted but he hadn't accepted Vornick's offer at least not yet. "I'll think on it."

"Noone will buy it from you when word gets out its stolen Slag, you know that. You're as good as done for. Let me take it off your hands and sell it on before the Vulcan's tweak." Vornick was getting desperate, the Liberty was due soon with all its hundreds of crew - if he didn't get his shop stocked he'd be loosing money.

"For five bars? When I can get 100 times that amount?" Slag countered but he knew he couldn't keep the Orb. He'd be a marked man. Still he wanted the best deal he could get.

" You've got to be able to sell it first" Vornick sneared. "It's my final offer, plus TWO bars for the rest of this... stuff" The deal was struck and the cargo unloaded.


Meanwhile on the USS Liberty

The arrival of the Liberty at Vulcan couldn’t have come soon enough, Aurora was on her last ounce of strength in keeping a stable telepathic connection to Savar. Being only half Vulcan she didn’t have the sheer stamina that Savar had.

<< Savar ... I can’t hold on much longer! >>

<< We are home.>> Savar replied. His thoughts showing his satisfaction at arriving at Vulcan. << Relax Aurora, rest.>>

Aurora slowly let herself withdraw from Savar’s mind, she carefully disconnected the link the doctor had set up between them as well. She lay back on the bed in the room to rest herself ready for their trip down to Vulcan. She would need all her energy for their bonding.

Captain Kaylen Rhenora sat in the command chair on the bridge of the Liberty, watching as the Vulcan homeworld slowly grew on the viewscreen as the Liberty entered the system. She had organised with both Starfleet and the Vulcan consulate for the crew to enjoy some well deserved shore leave whilst Aurora and Savar completed their Pon'Farr.

" Captain to Lt Vali and Commander Savar - we have entered the Vulcan system, you will be able to beam down within the hour" She advised, knowing how important it was for the two to be on their homeworld at such a critical time in their lives.

Aurora smiled with relief. “Thank you Captain.”

Rhenora couldn't help the sliver of emotion that conveyed through the communication.

" Helm - liaise with Vulcan Flight Control and establish a high orbit." Rhenora ordered as the Liberty drew ever closer to the barren planet. It would only be a few more minutes before Savar and Aurora could beam down and do whatever it was to ensure successful mitigation of the Pon'Farr. The crew could have some down time - and all would be good with the universe.