The captain and first officer were sitting in one of the two "mess halls" on board the ship. Similar in function to the Enterprise's "Ten-Forward" they're social areas that the crew enjoys for eating and relaxation with friends. The two on this ship are slightly smaller than Ten Forward, and they are located on Deck 9, port and starboard.
The captain and first officer were having a discussion in the starboard area. Both had trays of mostly eaten food in front of them, and were nursing a pair of beverages while going over several message pads.
"Well, I think that Hathaway is a decent enough officer," the captain said, an exasperated tone in his voice. "He is next in line, after all."
"Well you're the captain," first officer Cecilia Yilaan responded. "If you want to chose a man to be your new primary conn officer just because he's next in line, then you go right ahead. I do not think that he's the best man for the job however."
The captain sat back in his seat and brooded for a moment. "You think I should go with Lt. Reiv, don't you?" he said finally, after taking a healthy draught of apple juice.
"Reiv has the gusto needed in a young bridge officer. Someone who will take the bull by the horns, come up with the unusual in critical situations, and make it work. Hathaway is very stable, and not very imaginative, in my humble opinion." Commander Yilaan responded simply.
"Hathaway has an exemplary record," the captain retorted a little harshly, defending his choice to be the conn station replacement for the deceased Lt. Valen.
"I agree Captain; but that isn't the point and you know it sir," said Yilaan calmly.
The captain sighed, "I'm sorry I snapped Commander; I'm just sick of dealing with these personnel reassignments and reviews. I'm the one that had to fill out all that damn paperwork after our first mission, if you'll recall."
Yilaan smiled broadly, "I do recall."
The captain brooded some more, as both officers finished their drinks. "Very well, Commander, I will go with your recommendation of Lt. Reiv; I just hope you're right about him."
Yilaan smiled at the captain again. "Thank you sir!" she said.
"Now let's get some rest. See you in the morning Commander," the captain said with a tired expression on his face, as he got up to leave for his quarters.
"Captain," Yilaan said after him in acknowledgement, as she turned and left for her own quarters.
The next morning, the captain called on Lt. Reiv early. The Bajoran Lt. was eating breakfast, when his door buzzed. He threw down his cloth napkin in irritation. "Yes, yes, enter!" he said loudly, the annoyance at having his meal interrupted clear in his voice.
The captain entered, "Lt. Reiv."
"Uh, Captain!" Lt. Reiv stammered, recovering a friendly demeanor and half-standing up upon the captain's entrance. "Come in, please!" Lt. Reiv stood about 5' 10", with dark hair, a goatee and moustache, and was physically fit. He also bore the tell-tale nose ridges of a Bajoran.
"At ease Lt.," the captain replied to the Lt.'s stiff behaviour. The Lt. sat back down.
"Lt. Reiv, there has been some discussion as to who would be an appropriate replacement for Lt. Valen as the primary officer of the conn position."
"Yessir," Lt. Reiv responded.
"Lt. Hathaway is next in line you know; he has more experience, more years of training and field knowledge," the captain continued.
"Yessir," said Lt. Reiv slightly dejectedly, thinking that the captain was going to tell him that Lt. Hathaway got the job.
"However, certain influential officers on this ship seem to think highly of your caliber Lt., and I have been convinced to choose you as Lt. Valen's replacement. Congratulations," the captain smiled at the end his monologue, and extended his hand to Lt. Reiv.
Lt. Reiv smiled and shook the captain's hand. "Sir, thank you very much for this opportunity," he said, surprisingly calm and collected. "I look forward to being able to prove myself worthy of the chance you're giving me."
Captain Freeman nodded, "Report to the bridge when you're ready."
"Aye sir," nodded Lt. Reiv.
The captain had just left the Lt.'s room on the way to the bridge, when a loud noise stopped him in his tracks. "WAHOO! YES! " came the loud voice of the Bajoran Lt. Reiv, along with something slightly jumbled about loving the prophets. The captain smiled to himself and shook his head, while continuing on towards the bridge.
Lt. Reiv arrived on the bridge soon after the captain, and took his seat at the conn eagerly.
The captain looked a little stern as the Lt. took his seat next to Ensign Gates. "Status of the Bristol Lt.?" he asked.
"Proceeding on 288 Mark 101, speed of Warp 7 sir," the Lt. responded quickly as his hands moved expertly over the console. "Captain, I'm getting a ship on long range sensors," he continued.
"Already? Is it the Larson?"
"No sir, it is apparently Ferengi in design. Their shields are up also sir," Lt. Ivanovna reported over the captain's shoulder at the tactical station.
"Hail them," said the captain, tugging on his uniform as he stood up.
"Aye," said Ivanovna in her thick Russian accent. After a pause, she finished, "On screen."
"Ferengi vessel, this is Captain Mark Freeman of the Federation starship Bristol," said the captain routinely.
"I am Damon Baktor of the Ferengi vessel Uleman. What do you want Captain?" the Ferengi captain replied.
"Damon, we are searching for one of our ships that has failed to report in; have you seen or heard anything unusual in these parts?" the captain asked.
"A missing ship eh? One, say, that doesn't answer the hails of a friendly passer-by? Well Captain," the Ferengi stroked his ear-lobes momentarily, "I might have some news, but I'm having some difficulty remembering at the moment."
"Well if that's the case, I'm sorry to bother you. We'll be on our way. Good day to you Damon," said the captain with a curt smile, before turning his back to the screen. "Screen off, Lt.," he said to Lt. Ivanovna.
"WAIT! Wait, Captain!" said the Ferengi loudly as Lt. Ivanovna was about to sever communications. "I'm certain we could work out a deal of some sort!"
"A deal? For what? You said you couldn't recall anything helpful for us," said the captain with an innocent look on his face.
"Well, I, uh," Damon Baktor stammered. "There was a ship that might be the one you're looking for."
"Oh I see," the captain responded innocently again. "And it didn't answer your hails?"
"What am I getting out of this Captain? You don't expect me to just give you this valuable information do you?"
"I'm glad we've finally cut to the chase; I hate games," Captain Freeman said sternly. "You will have my personal appreciation for whatever help you can provide."
"Your appreciation? Is that it? You insult me Captain," the Ferengi said angrily.
"And you can keep your information to yourself, if my appreciation isn't sufficient," the captain retorted. "You won't get anything for it anywhere else."
The Ferengi grumbled to himself, and someone else came up and whispered in his ear. "Yes, yes!" the Damon said to the other Ferengi. "Captain, we would sincerely benefit from your appreciation, and perhaps, should we be troubled someday, you could give us some help?"
"Perhaps," the captain said neutrally, hoping to find out what the Ferengi knew without agreeing to any sort of debilitating deal.
"Alright Captain, I did indeed see your ship. As the friendly Ferengi Damon that I am," Damon Baktor said, while Lt. Ivanovna rolled her eyes at that comment, "I attempted to make peaceful contact with the vessel. No response came to me from the ship. I had other business to attend to, and just assumed your people were being rude."
"Can you give us the coordinates of the Federation vessel?" the captain asked.
"Yes I can," the Ferengi smiled his broken-toothed maniacal smile, "should be coming through to you now Captain."
Lt. Reiv and Lt. Ivanovna glanced at the coordinates as they came in. "They're about three hours from here at Warp 7, Captain," Lt. Reiv said.
"And not at all near their last known location," Lt. Ivanovna added, "We would not have arrived at their last known location for awhile yet."
"Thank you for your assistance Damon; Freeman out," said the captain, a forced smile on his face, before beginning to turn away from the transmission to signal Lt. Ivanovna to cut transmission.
"YOU....," the Damon started to say very loudly, making the captain turn back to the screen and Lt. Ivanovna look up from her console. He continued at a normal volume, "You agreed to our bargain then? You will help us in a time of need?"
The captain gave Damon Baktor a flat stare, "I said perhaps. Screen off." The viewscreen image of the Ferengi captain faded. Captain Freeman turned to Cmdr. Yilaan, "That was an odd conversation. What could he have possibly meant by wanting our help? Why didn't he ask for a thousand bars of gold-pressed latinum or something? Could you sense anything Commander?"
Commander Yilaan sighed, "Ferengi can close their minds to us Captain; this Ferengi was no more cooperative than any other I've tried to read."
The captain grunted, "Huh. I forgot about that."
The commander continued, "As for the Damon's motivations, I don't have any more ideas than you. Maybe our help was something he thought he might actually be able to get at some point in the future as opposed to latinum."
"Mmm. Good point Commander," the captain said as he again turned to look at the screen image of the Ferengi ship before him.
"They are clearly up to something," Lt. Ivanovna interjected, "we should be very cautious."
The captain turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow, "Noted Lt." He then turned to Ensign Gates, "Ensign put us on course for the coordinates that the Ferengi ship gave us, Warp 7."
Ensign Gates acknowledged and the Bristol leapt off in the supposed direction of the missing U.S.S. Larson.
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