Is this still open?

Posted on Wed Jan 24th, 2018 @ 6:39am by Second Mate Quinton Beck & MERCHANT RANKS Fala Gaz (NPC) & Master Steward Othor Jaxz Ghost of the Second Star
Edited on on Thu Jan 25th, 2018 @ 8:25pm

2,074 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Meanwhile...
Location: Star Base Employment Board
Timeline: Concurrent

ON

{Starbase 214}

Quill had to admit he almost decided to open a business on the station, the facilities were quite modern considering; he had his past Ranks in Fleet Medicine and credentials of his Base Company on Risa to establish a store front and medical practice.

But where is the fun in that; stationary with lines of people and only Profits to take in? Nope he had been on star ships and now they were in his boots; the sway of the decks and the people; especially the pretty females in their attire. Why his race wanted them naked all the time; boring, to tantalize and make one adore the style with which they cover themselves is like different types of toppings upon grub worms to add to the flavor as one enjoyed the dish.

He did prefer Hue-Mon females; they were closer to his height on average, it helped him not deal with being cursed at Five foot six; why did fate make him so tall among Ferengi? He did not ask the fate but tried to live with it. If he looked up to a female to meet her eyes he sometimes felt more like a Ferngi, short. With Humanoid Males he had no problem feeling like a member of his race; he was shorter than most so it was easier to deal with in that regard.

He was in a good suit, the Human's say Every girl goes crazy for a sharp dressed male, he tried to be well suited for both business and pleasure.

To Business though, he had come here to find a placement on a civilian ship. Scanning for a Ship's Doctor he found an ad right away.

The S.S. Second Star; listing DM 1- 10 for a Medical Officer. so he decided to go to a Subspace Booth and make inquiries.

He programmed the Job listing and waited to see if the Commanding Officer would be 'up' with a 32 hour ship's day and a 24 hour rotation on the station it would be a 'Lady Luck' moment.

{Second Star- Fala's Office}

Over thirty panels and screens angled from the walls to her desk facing the focal chair she sat in. The floor to ceiling windows were behind her, and all the other chairs on her side removed. It did a neat job of making her Ferengi Lair imposing. One of several programs sifting applicants for the Second Star was looking for an ideal medical staff, a sorely under populated department with no head officer.

Quill. He had been rejected for the reasons of Fala Gaz hating ferengi Males for the misogynist rabble they all were. Nog, Rom...Quill. Three Ferengi who all broke the mould Rom made her remember Quark as well, the epitome of the word bastard that small lobed freckled gree worm of a man.

"Love is bittersweet." She told this to herself in reverie.

Quill had the record, the motive, it made sense. Fala couldn't believe the odds, but given their curious luck so far this was not the most improbable of events.

"Judah, patch through to Quill."

The boy displayed in his usual avatar on one panel. Fala refused to install the holoemitters in her office, she didnt trust them or their digital eyes.

"I've got a message from an auto trawling subspace bot, Quill cant be traced directly but he is on standby currently."

Fala wasn't surprised he had his mail and messages filtered, few Ferengi supported Starfleet, or their brothers that joined it.

"Well respond to the query, I am ready." Fala hated how she adjusted her headdress twice in time before the screen cleared.

Quill had the image changing; this meant a call connecting; he quickly had the polite smile that Hue-Mons like from most races and his Fedora hat was not casting a shadow over his eyes as the image of a Ferengi, a female Ferengi,on the other end of the line. This was an unexpected act of providence from some Diet of the Galaxy that he was not aware of who had this sense of humor to put two business people on the same line about an employment from the same race.

"Greetings, I am Quill. Have I the pleasure of talking to the person who posted this Business Opportunity?" He removed his hat as is proper before asking with common Business tone. "I am inquiring about the Medical Personnel Position?"

"Fala Gaz. Are you the applicant? I dont deal in brokerages. The job is for a 2 year contract, I need an NDA signed if you want details!"

"The nondisclosure act is signed for employment, a Job offering does not require a contract, I know the two year time of contract but between us I need not remind you of Rule 74 that I live by. "Knowledge is profit. Without it from you I see no profit." He wished he was dealing with a bungling Hue-mon.

"You started this process by placing an ad, please finish it by giving me the 'Only what I need to know so we can continue?"

"It's nice to talk to a fellow Ferengi without snarling, I need a doctor who has the skills listed in the job ad, if you can perform those duties and run a department we are interested in having you. It is no small job, we will be spending long times outside of charted space."

"In other words ; as the Hue-Mons would say I will be performing 'Frontier Medicine' with a merchant ship dealing with new cultures and other such situation as the head of the Medical Department." Quill had his game face on as he spoke; not giving away the fact he wanted to make some sort of pleasured noise at the chance of being away from the normal space lanes.
"I had taken it by the posting and your initial telling me it is a two year contract that there is a planned voyage to return to Federation Space at some point?" Quill asked, what he learns on the frontier has to be able to have applications in his business and a return would allow him to transfer the raw materials and knowledge he gains while blazing across the lesser known space ways.

Fala seemed to freeze in time, her face beyond inscrutable. She gauged the man across the screen, letting the news and meta data her scraping trawling nets were returning to her. She knew she wanted to trust him, but with Ferengi males it was always the same with her, they hurt her.

"We will do business with Convoys, Merchants, Empires that do business all over the galaxy. The Federation is hard to avoid, we will see them often enough...."

She trailed in thought for a split second. Othor was finally with her, he was a silent third party watching the interview. Also using his insights to judge the scene, he had asked her in text,

'Do you hate me for who I am or what I represent?'

She knew the truth in his insight right away. She hated Quill for what he represented. She was being biased, and as such she would adjust her course to compensate. Quill never metaphorically defenestrated her unlike the Exchequers at the Tower of Commerce. Since gaining this prize she had earned a place on the exchange board however. Time... and an open mind told her to give him a chance.

"... I'll admit to finding trouble in the thought of hiring you but am trying to understand you are different from those like you who have cost me everything in their bigotry. Please, level with me Quill. What is it that brings you here? What do you plan for yourself with us as your employer?"

"Research." Quill said flatly. "To gain knowledge by finding new organic matter for testing; perhaps some bartering with new races and making a profit." He explained. "One needs knowledge to be good at what one does; knowledge of markets is for a business, the herbal cures of some races could be of benefit to all. I want to learn how to heal beings and who those beings are. Trade is the universal diplomacy and profit; people talk more with merchants that have new goods than diplomats so I am here to meet people and learn." He grinned. "Making a profit would not hurt while learning now would it?"

Fala nearly deep sighed at what she thought was rhetoric, Othor felt differently though. He sent another text, 'Trust, but verify.'

Imperceptibly taking his counsel she held his gaze as he spun his line about advancing medical practices and profits.

"To be honest," A phrase Fala used with exquisite irony in her play at nonchalance, "we need a department head for medical. Let's keep this on a trial basis, six month engagement while we ferry the load to Talar and back here. 325 sgpl for Department heads, hazard pay kicks in only after red alert. NDA and standard onboarding is to be completed with the Stewards office by Stardate 70414.61. Quarters will be assigned once you are done. Any questions?"

"Is that the standard contractual agreement or am I getting 'special treatment and excused?" Quill asked. "MOst first contracts are a year, it make balancing the books easier when it comes to processing, a six month means doubling the personnel costs along with the chance ofa second time of bartering over the parameters." Quill smiled. "Or could it be I like the style of negotiation and want to lock in my deal as a Department Head; I could get a good medical staff and that would be a shame to lose after six months if the contract is not renewed?"

Fala failed to hide her grin, "No, not the standard offer. I don't know you, and that's something in your favor. Any Ferengi male I know of is probably one of many who have tried to take my operation over as soon as they saw me. They thought I was weak. Now they work for me, those that chose correctly at least. The offer stands as is. We have to launch while under amnesty provided by the JAG here, and that expires in eight days. We will be leaving in seven days, so take the job or I move to the next call."

"Perhaps I should have complemented you head dress before speaking." Quill said with a slight grin. "I am First Generation Federation, women having clothes and minds is what I grew up with, having to deal with Ferengi Business is a hazard of being in research, but a Lady is not one to be resented; by the way, Business is business in the end." Quill shrugged. "I had female Hue-mons as friends growing up; I will give you no trouble as our getting along as business associates will brig profit to the ship where under cutting one another will not allow either of us to gain profit." He nod. "I am in the Medicine Trade and business; leave that to me and you can barter to your heart's content, I find a good manner with people in the same business venture; the ship, need to work together for mutual profit. I have stated my business angle, I will accept the contract with one amendment." HE look her straight in the eyes across the screen. "I will treat you like a lady in business and you give me the latitude to make my profits and learning of Medicine. Barring that I think we would get along; as hue-mons say, quite well." HE bowed. "I look forward to future profits with you and the ship."

Othor had already closed the channel, Fala saw requisitions for standard Ferengi Fare hit the commissary queue. He approved. Hard to say why...

She accepted him for who he was, just as she expected of everyone else.

"We will work together and often Quill, you'll find I'm hard to please, and rarely polite. I always pay my debts, and I always live to see tomorrow. You accept those those terms and we will be in business."

She sent the details pending acceptance of the legal ropes it piled on the poor soul who stuck his thumb in the square.

"Thus seals the deal." Quill said before accepting the terms

It seemed he had another ship to serve finally, and it was not Star Fleet hindrances this time.

-End-

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