Healing has Begun: Ferengi Cure, Part 2 (A Little Intel)
Posted on Sat Nov 25th, 2023 @ 7:37pm by Lieutenant JG Annika Wiseman
1,981 words; about a 10 minute read
Mission:
Mission 1: Campor III - Resupply
Location: Grabok Settlement, Campor III
Timeline: MD: C15, after part one
Annika started to think, there were stacks of crates surrounding the clinic, she signaled the three security officers to take cover, tapping her comms' "We're in place, no signs of trouble yet," as she stared at the short range display on her tricorder.
Vevi stepped forward. "O'Dell, Shelton. Fall behind the Cat here," she said, tilting her head towards the Doctor. "Docs save lives, Marines, move it," she said. "Ready, Doc?" She asked. She led them forward.
Annika hated being the go to when there wasn't an experienced officer near by, she looked at the tricorder, still no movement. "Wiseman to McEntyre, still no movement, any word from Columbia?"
"Negative, they're not answering hails, they got to be on Red Alert." J.R replied.
After forty minutes Annika was starting to get anxious, she had shed the long coat and set her bag down, the tricorder hadn't pinged much she found herself sitting on the ground eating a ration bar watching the sensors on her tricorder, she looked up seeing Lissa peeking out the front window. Annika waved to her as if things were okay, "Wiseman to medical team, any thing from Columbia?"
Lissa responded, "Kerr to Wiseman. I'm not sure when the last time we even tried was. I'll see if one of the doctors will try again."
"Forty-four minutes, no reason given for the blackout either." Annika replied.
Vevi sighed. "Fuck it, I'll go back," she volunteered. "You can get more answers looking people in the face. I know Chalan is busy, but maybe she doesn't realize how sticky things are here." She tapped her owns Comms badge. =/\=Hey, one of you dorks. Go downstairs, or find Elliott and tell him or the Commander that we're in a bit of a pickle and that if I don't see his dumb six out here SHORTLY, he'll be wearing his badge on his nose.=/\= One of the Enlisted lackeys came back with some snide retort, but she could hear movement sounds. Good.
It had been pretty quiet at the settlement, and the hospital. No sign of hostility, and Lissa was wondering if all this was necessary. "Dr. McEntyre," Lissa said approaching the doctor. "Have you tried reaching the Columbia recently? Some of us are thinking it's strange we haven't received word."
J.R was equally as concerned. He purred in concern as he pulls out a handheld communicator, a modern one from the one his great-grandfather had used in the 23rd century, and flips it open.
Lissa narrowed his eyes at the old-fashioned communicator, and looked around to see who was watching.
"McEntyre to Columbia, come in please."
=/\= Lieutenant Ligan here, what can I do for you, Dr. McEntyre? =/\= Ligan responded from the conn.
The command staff were in talks with the Romulans and Klingons, and the Security Chief and Operations Chief had left to work on an energy efficiency project. Elliot and F'Rar had left the Bridge for coffee some time ago, which left him in charge for now. (They're back dude)
“Lieutenant, I need to speak with the commander, what’s going on up there, has the situation with the Klingons and Romulans been resolved?” J.R asked.
=/\= "Unless the XO is the only one who can assist you, the Captain and Commander Chalan are in talks now. I have the Bridge. Is everything going alright? I can patch you through to Science or Sickbay if you need any resources." =/\=
“Lieutenant, I’ve got patients down here, and no way of knowing whether I need to start evacuating or holding my position. My last orders was to stand by due to a situation in orbit. Are we under attack or do I need to stand down the security forces here?”
=/\= "Stand by." =/\= There was a pause as Lieutenant Ligan checked in with Commander Tomm.
=/\= "I just double-checked with Commander Tomm, The Ferengi settlement was never in any danger, Doctor. Just a little stand off between the Romulans and the Klingons that seems to have subsided for the time being. No evacuation orders. You should continue your work there as planned. =/\=
If Lissa listened closely she would hear a very angry purr before he spoke again.
"Thank you, Lieutenant. McEntyre Out." Before he closed the communicator he messaged the team on the perimeter.
"Stand Down the Security forces. I assume that they'll be grumblings from your junior officers, so call this an Impromtu Battle Drill or something. Apparently we were never in danger." J.R said, obviously annoyed at this revelation.
Annika clicked the safety back on her phaser, she unzipped her uniform top and stood. She made a mental note that she needed to get a shower and a change of clothes when she got back too the ship and maybe a nap.
Vevi sighed. "You're right that there will be hell to pay," she said. "Let's get back to the shuttle," she said.
In the hospital, J.R. looked defeated. "I'm goin back to the lab, finish the paperwork, and go lay down for a bit. Please tell me if there is some other way to fuck up this day," J.R said, invoking the spirit of James Kirk after the state dinner with Gorkon.
"I'm sure it's fine," Lissa said. She tried to sound reassuring. She was a little annoyed, but she didn't know where the miscommunication was. "It's time for the enzyme booster on this last group of patients, then it should be ready for the community," she commented trying to sound optimistic.
J.R smiled softly at Lissa, a light in this otherwise gloomy day. “Thank you, Ms. Lissa. I’m heading there now, if you’d like to assist me?” He asked kindly, trying to find the good in this situation like she wanted him too.
"Of course, Doctor," Lissa responded. Whatever would get them through this round more quickly.
At their makeshift shelter, Annika and Vevi were packing up. "Fine. Annika, I will escort them back to the labs," Vevi said, putting a cobalt-blue hand on her left temple. "Let's go, Ensign," she said, leading the way back towards the Ferengi medical clinic, her rifle at the ready.
Two Ferengi security officers approached Annika and Vevi as they saw them walking out of the area where they had hunkered down. They looked up at the officers.
"Can you tell us what happened?" a short male with particularly gnarly teeth even for a male asked?
The slightly taller one continued to look around nervously. "Yes, yes, can you give us any details?"
Vevi cast her amber colored eyes at the two men. "Yeah. We can tell you. For a price," she said. "But not a money one. Tell us who YOU think is sabotaging things." She raised an eyebrow.
The two Ferengi looked at one another. The shorter one spoke first. "Rather shrewd of you for Starfleet, but you are Andorian, they are very good at business, not as good as the Ferengi, but quite shrewd themselves," he said. It was meant to be a compliment. "Anyway, all I've been able to put together are bits and pieces, the drones that assassinated the Klingon Governor were meant to look Romulan, but the designers did a poor job of mimicking their technology."
The taller one watched with interest. Eager to get in on the action he jumped in, "And, and, and - it's veeeerry difficult to get information from the Romulan settlement, but word has it that they believe whoever sabotaged their spacecraft infiltrated their camp and has since left."
Annika looked at the Ferengi, sliding the zipper on her shirt as low as it would go, "I'm sure there's more to the story than just that?"
Vevi was glad that Annika picked up on what she was doing. She smiled. "Thank you, I like to think that we have acumen for business. That said, I think my friend is right. Certainly, there's more?" She reached a blue arm out and ran a finger along the Ferengi's arm, smiling.
Annika raised the bar a little bit, she let down her hair, "Now I'm sure a couple of fine gentlemen like yourselves can help us out, we'd be eternally grateful." she said as she gave them a full view down her opened shirt.
"Well uh, umm.... " The taller Ferengi was staring at Annika too distracted to speak.
The shorter one was also ogling the women, but he had the sense to hit his friend in the arm snapping him out of his daze.
"This other piece isn't verified, just rumor," the shorter one said, looking around to make sure there was no one else that could hear.
Vevi, too, escalated a little, fully removing her tunic to reveal a tightly-fitting tank top underneath-she wasn't well endowed, so she didn't wear a bra usually, just a camisole or tank top.
The taller one, not wanting his friend to take all the credit jumped in. "Some are saying that it was actually a group of Romulans who damaged their own ships, not from the settlement, but those who don't believe in the Romulan Free State, who are trying to rebuild the Empire."
Bingo Annika smiled, "Now, that is of some value..." she paused to slip off her top revealing a tight tank top under it.
Now that she was mostly undressed, Vevi's smile grew a little more conspiratorial. "You guys are so...what would you say in Standard, Annika? Brave? For coming forward. But what about...the others?" She said, moving her blue hands lower down the man's body, s-l-o-w-l-y, pausing at his stomach, suggestively. She was going to need a LONG hot shower after this.
Annika decided to play one final card to trip up the Ferengi "Now if you boys find anything else out I'd be ..Very....grateful." making sure her navel became visible when she stood up, making sure the purple band from her underwear was slightly visible. 'I'm gonna need a shower and a stiff drink' Annika secretly thought.
The shorter Ferengi struggled to stand still his legs growing weak underneath him, as Vevi teased him by touching his arm and then his stomach. He'd dream about an Andorian female giving him oo-mox for years to come. "What were we talking about again?" he asked stupidly.
The taller one's eyes were practically bulging out of his head, his neck craning forward, and his mouth threatening to drool as he stared at Annika while she did her little strip tease. "Uh, um, the others?" He looked back and forth from Vevi to Annika. He spoke quickly, "The Romulans in the camp weren't working alone. The Typhon pact may have reached out to them to do this in exchange for a favor." He blurted the words out in an uncontrolled burst. "We don't know what happened in the Klingon camp though. Promise."
Annika slid a glance over too Vevi, 'We got what we're after' she thought, "Was that so... hard..."Annika teased, adjusting her top slightly. She gave the two drooling men one final tease as she adjusted her uniform pants.
Vevi nodded slightly. "Thank you, Gentlemen, you've been...ahhh-mazing," she said, drawing out the words seductively. She placed a kiss on the shorter one's cheek. "Come on, Annika, we should get back...work calls, you understand, don'tcha, boys?" She said.
Annika winked at the two Ferengi, "It's been charming boys..." resisting the urge to vomit as she picked up her clothing.
The shorter Ferengi barely noticed them leaving, still stupefied by the Andorian's touch. The taller one held up his hand to wave as they left, "See you around."
<< OFF >>
Lieutenant J.R. McEntyre M.D.
Assistant Chief Medical Officer
USS Columbia
1st Lieutenant Vevi Zh'kahlol
Intelligence Officer
USS Columbia
Ensign Annika Wiseman
Intelligence Officer
USS Columbia
Ensign Daisheliss Kerr
Nurse
USS Columbia