12: Ad Lib

Ad Lib

by Commander Salvek

71208.14

Following "The Angel on Her Shoulder"

-=On the Ferengi Outpost=-



The Alchemy disappeared from his view, and Salvek reformed a moment later in a dark shadowy corner of the Ferengi station, where Reece and Grace awaited him. He expected them to be alone, but there was one other.

"Mister Blane?"

"Good to see you again, Commander Salvek."

"Yeah, hug hug kiss kiss." Reece stepped up to Salvek and slung his arm around his shoulder. "We have to go meet the Ferengi in sixty seconds. His name is Gleen. He thinks I'm an operative working with the Tal Shiar who has been sent to find out information about a Bajoran Temporal agent that Gleen is selling in a slave auction in two days. Gleen wanted to meet the prospective buyer in person. That is you. Once he is satisfied you are legit, we get a data rod with the auction location. Got it? Cause we gotta move."

"I believe I have it. Allow me a moment to put on my angry eyes."

Salvek stared off into space, then back at Reece.

"I'm a busy man, with little patience. I suggest you show me what I came to see Trill."

"Not bad. I always knew there was a brutal intelligence agent in there somewhere."

The quartet made their way back down the promenade of the outpost to where they had met Gleen earlier. Dabin and February entered first. TC scanned the area with his eyes looking for any signs of booby traps or snipers Gleen may have set up in case these talks didn't go well. He didn't see any, but that didn't mean they weren't here, somewhere.

TC entered the room, pulling his coverings close around his face so Gleen could not make out that he was human.

Bru propped herself up against the wall next to TC, staring at the ceiling in mock boredom with her arms across her chest.

"Your buyer, as promised, Gleen." Dabin announced. He moved aside, allowing Salvek to step forward.

"The data rod, Ferengi." Salvek extended his hand, not to shake Gleen's but to receive the information he wanted. The Tal Shiar were rarely in the mood to exchange pleasantries when business needed to be done.

Gleen held up his finger. "Just one small question, my friend. Who is that?" Gleen nodded towards TC by the door.

"That is my insurance policy that if these negotiations fail or anything happens to me, you don't leave this room alive." Salvek once again extended his hand, and snarled, showing his patience was already wearing thin. "The data rod."

"Of course!" Gleen chuckled, as his brow began to perspire. He still didn't seem totally convinced, but his cowardice was winning out over his sense of suspicion. He reached inside his jacket and pulled out the data rod, placing it carefully into Salvek's hand.

"See you in two days. Do not fail me." Salvek nodded at Reece, then turned to leave the room. TC stepped outside.

"Yay! Dabin can I get my shoes now! You promised!" February skipped out the door with delight, with Dabin and Salvek behind.

"We need to get out of sight and transport before any suspicions are aroused." TC said. "This way." He led them to an empty merchant's kiosk where they are once again out of site.

"Salvek to Kellyn. Four to beam up."

[Four?] Kellyn asked.

"It seems an old friend has found us. Yes, four."

Moments later they were back aboard the Alchemy. Kellyn had beamed them straight to the bridge where she and Micah Samson had been holding down the fort, so to speak.

Reece immediately burst out laughing. "Did you see the look on his face? I thought he was going to run for his life."

"I'm going to take these ridiculous globs of makeup off my face now. I look more like I belong in a circus then on a starship." February replied. Everyone laughed, except of course, for Salvek.

He pulled out the data rod, and handed it to Reece. "Let us go and rescue Zanh Liis, shall we?"

"With pleasure, Commander." Reece stepped to the science station, and inserted the data rod. TC stood over his shoulder, as the message appeared on the screen.

"Main viewer, please." Salvek ordered, and Reece transferred Gleen's toothy grin to the viewscreen for everyone to see.

"Ugh, was the necessary?" Dabin asked. Everyone hushed as the message began to play.

"Greetings, prospective buyer! As you can understand, the coordinates of this event have to be kept a secret so the authorities do not catch wind of it. The auction will take place at a secure warehouse I operate at 37 degrees, 18 minutes, 45 seconds North by 12 degrees, 11 minutes 9 seconds West. The planet of course is in the original invitation I sent you, and also contains the code phrase to get past security at the entrance, so please do not forget to bring that with you. All payments must be made in latinum at the time of purchase. Good day to you."

The message ended, and the viewscreen returned to the star field.

"Planet is in the original invitation? What is he talking about?" Kellyn asked.

"Gleen supposedly sent the Tal Shiar a message to come to this auction. That's where the security code and planet name are. All we have is the coordinates on the planet, but we don't know which one." Dabin said dejectedly.

"So what does that mean for us?" asked Kellyn.

"It means we are dead in the water," concluded Reece.

"It means, my wife," Salvek countered, "that we have about forty-eight hours to determine which planet the auction is taking place on, or Zanh Liis becomes property of the Romulan Empire."


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Commander Salvek
Acting Commanding Officer
USS Alchemy NX-53099