Posted by Captain Zachariah Cobb (Commanding Officer) in FPT-LS: Andromeda’s Curse - Negotiation - Ferengi onboard

Posted by Lieutenant Casela Synthi-er (Counsellor / RTF) in FPT-LS: Andromeda’s Curse - Negotiation - Ferengi onboard

Posted by Lieutenant Andrea Stone (Chief of Security) in FPT-LS: Andromeda’s Curse - Negotiation - Ferengi onboard

As the Cobb, Stone, and Kastil entered the transporter room the chief had just initiated the transporter. Three Ferengi bio signatures were coming across, the program checked for weapons and finding no energy weapons finished rematerializing them. Olash stood straight, but still at a diminutive stature. “I am DaiMon Olash. This is Zanic and Borrick.” Borrick shuffled his feat, with a hunched back, in the very stereo typical caveman walk over Ferengi males. He looked over Stone and Kastil with a less than appropriate appraisal in his eyes. He backhanded Zanic good naturedly on the arm and nodded towards Stone, “It is a shame that one is clothed, but that one,” he pointed rudely at Kastil, “If all hooman females look like that, I would clothe them too.”

Olash turned on Borrick growling in Ferengi, but the universal translator picking it up, “Shut up fool. Law 94 Females and finances don’t mix. Keep your lobes to yourself.” Borrick looked chastised and stopped his shuffling, standing at the ferengi version of attention. Olash turned back to Cobb. It never hurt to butter up the mark, “Forgive him Captain Cobb. it’s his first time off world and has never seen a clothed female. He has much to learn about acquisitions.” He stepped off the transporter padd, but noticing the militaristic stance of Stone, stayed well out of striking distance of any of the crew members. ‘He who ducks under the table lives to profit another day.’

DaiMon Olash

If looks could kill, the Ferengi called Borrick would combust into flame where he stood. Stone immediately remembered why she hated dealing with Ferengi.
She wanted to give Kastil a tip, to aim for their ears, if she ever took a swing at one… but for now she held her tongue. Stone’s law number 2.. or was it 3. Who cares… Don’t let the enemy know their words might have hurt you. They are sure to use it more often, if you do.

Lt. Andrea Stone, COS

Cobb could sense Stone’s annoyance with their rude guest and, for a moment, he was tempted to step back and allow his Security Chief to put the Ferengi in his place. But unfortunately there was far more at stake here than the feelings of his crew. Still, Zachariah could not allow the moment to pass entirely unrebuked.

“He has much to learn about manners too, it seems,” the captain replied in a conversational tone, addressing Olash directly whilst pretending to ignore his companions. “Lieutenant Kastil and Lieutenant Stone are two of my finest and most accomplished officers and you will treat them both with the respect that their positions dictate.”

Olash was unhappy with Borrick. They had no idea what the artifact actually did. The people they acquired it from had been eager and desperate to get rid of it, and the value had weighed in Olash’s favor. They had not had a problem with it, but scans of the Einstein had told them there were very few living life forms left aboard. In the pursuit they had fired on the Einstein but the damage would not have caused that kind of quick death. Olash wanted a profit, and if Borrick’s ignorance ruined it, well, there were ways of dealing with him.

Then, eager to avoid this descending into a debate on the misogeny of Ferengi customs, he quickly ushered the party towards the door, commenting loudly for Stone and Kastil’s benefit as he did so, “The footage I need for you all to see is stored on a terminal on our main containment deck. If you would all please follow me and we shall get right down to business. My yeoman can provide some light refreshments while you view the footage.”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

The Doctor follows along with Captain Cobb when she gives the Ferengi a clever smirk. “Rule of Acquisition 214: Never begin a negotiation on an empty stomach, I’ll send for some confectioneries from my personal store, perhaps a Red Velvet Cake?” Fey’s body makes some cracking sounds as she turns her upper body to face the Ferengi, her contortionism coming into play to add to her freakish appearance. Her attention settles on the young Ferengi that had delivered the insults earlier, “Rule of Acquisition 74: Knowledge equals Profit.” The doctor returns her torso to its natural position, satisfied with her own delivery.

• Doctor Fey Kastil

Zanic could smell profit on the wind listening to Kastil. He sidled up next to her at a respectable distance. The idea of a hooman who knew the rules of acquisition, and a woman at that, intrigued and fascinated him. He was authorized to make his own deals. Perhaps he could make his own profit this trip. “Your knowledge of the Rules of Acquisition are impressive Doctor.” Doctors often had access to drugs and chemicals that brought a high price. “Do I, perchance, sense a fellow negotiator in this small crowd?” It would also bring him recognition from Olash if he could manage a more amiable trade with this ship while they got their artifact back.

Fey tapped her chin with an unusually long finger as if considering Zanic’s question, “Perhaps, Rule of Acquisition 29: What’s in it for me? Why negotiate with you instead of the DaiMon?” Fey sought to capitalize with the negotiator believing if she kept him distracted, then the Captain would have fewer competent Ferengi voices to contend with.

Olash followed Cobb and his crew down the corridor. Zanic was making nice with the doctor and Olash approved. No need to alienate this crew, not while they were on their ship anyway. And if they made a good customer out of it, all the better.

Zanic, negotiator
- Doctor Fey Kastil
DaiMon Olash

Zanic smiled, “Because of rule of acquisition 63: the riskier the road, the greater the profit. It is risky for you to negotiate with someone other than DaiMon for you perhaps.
Perhaps you think he can over turn my business deals. Perhaps you feel I don’t have the access to get what you want. Equally risky for me is that I do not know if you can pay the negotiated price. But I am a business man willing to take risks. And I will remind you, Doctor of rule number 9: Opportunity plus instinct equals profit. And we have both in spades.”
Zanic, negotiator

Fey laughed and dropped her hands into her pockets to pull out a set of containers. “I like you, we’re going to have some wonderful deals after the meal. Consider this a gift for our first successful banter. Rule of Acquisition 65: Win or lose, there’s always Hupyrian beetle snuff. You never know when you’ll encounter some respectable Ferengi, so I always make sure to carry some fresh just in case.” The doctor reaches back to offer small cases to the Ferengi guests. “Let it never be said that Captain Cobb is a poor host.”

• Doctor Fey Kastil

Zanic rubbed his hands together in delight. He took the tin and opened it inhailing the aromatic scent that would smell rather pungent to everyone else in the room. “I look forward to our negotiations Doctor.” Olash and Borrick each took a tin expressing their appreciation of the offering. Olash smiled in greedy anticipation at Cobb. “You have a fine set of negotiators at your command Captain.”

The captain maintained an intimidating silence as he led the group into a turbolift and barked out the command for deck 13, the location of the yellow and abell-level containment units. He was not, however, oblivious to the conversation around him and displayed an amused smile at Kastil’s unexpected flair for negotiations. Perhaps he should let her loose on Roebuck and the ARU Central Command some time, who knew what she’d walk away with for the Leviathan if he did!

An uncharacteristic jolt signified the end of their journey, the doors sliding gracefully open to reveal a surprisingly dim corridor beyond. Taking the lead out of the turbolift, Cobb allowed himself to indulge in some amateur dramatics as, signalling for the group to move in close, he spoke in hushed, secretive tones.

“This area is usually off-limits to visitors, due to the highly classified, and also highly dangerous, nature of the creatures contained here. But the need for me to demonstrate to you exactly what you are dealing with forces me to ignore standard protocol. Now, once we have passed through the security checkpoint and into the main containment area, I must ask you to keep your hands to your sides and your ears to your head. Lt Kastil here might be an excellent doctor, but she has far better things to do than go hunting for severed Ferengi lobes.”

With a flourish, he turned away and cleared a corner to their right, then came almost immediately to a halt before the already prepared, and definitely enjoying playing along, Ensign Hudson.
“Captain Cobb!” the Ensign leaped to his feet and offered a sharp salute with his right hand, the phaser rifle still clutched in his left. “Sir. I can not allow your guests to proceed any further.”

Leaning in close, Zachariah replied in a stage-whisper. “I understand, Ensign. But they are here to view The Footage.”

In a performance worthy of the great Reginald Barclay himself, Hudson’s own eyes grew wide. “The Footage? Oh, of course, Sir. Go right ahead.”

3-inch thick, triple-welded tritanium doors were cleared via a dual voice and fingerprint recognition system, Cobb continuing to lead the way and trusting that Stone would shepherd in any stragglers. Then finally and with a loud, punctuating hiss, the doors slid shut and the team were inside yellow-level containment.

It was only Zachariah’s third time inside this area and his first without a Researcher by his side, but he made every attempt to hide his own nervousness from the Ferengi. Marching with determination onto the high metal gantry that traversed the full length of the room, the captain pretended to ignore the distinct, widely spaced containment units fifteen feet below, as if such marvels were already commonplace to him. The same indifference was not matched, however, by the Novel Researchers posted on watch outside each unit, as several faces turned upwards in amazement and alarm at the sight of their captain and a group of Ferengi nonchalantly passing by.

Only when several loud and anxious yells began to emanate from the upper-left corner of the room, did Cobb halt his travels and focus attention below. There, surrounded by several Researchers of different levels, hovered a small, white cloud raining large particles onto the deck. Beside it, and screaming in horror and pain, a Novel Researcher was attempting to shield their face, the right cheek already turning porcelain and grey from frostbite.

Well. That had been wholly unexpected…

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

Stone kept her attention on their guests at all times. She didn’t quite agree with the captain that it was wise to show their guests what secrets they were trying to unlock. Most of this was confidential even to ST members and people. The Ferengi only showed interest in things they could profit in.
She tried to think and understand why captain was showing them all these. Perhaps he would try to convince them, they can deal with the anomaly better then they can, and later share the findings? As far as she understood, they didn’t know much about the anomaly and what it does as well.

Lt. Andrea Stone, COS

Borrick hissed and yelled in that classic barbarian Ferengi way when something whole strange and mystical happens in front of them. Olash glared at him, but his own face was rather pale at the sight of this cloud that was burning the flesh off the humanoid below using ice. Olash and Zanic both feeling quite a bit of unease wondering if Cobb had brought them on board to torture them. Zanic whispered to the DaiMon, “Rule 15. Dead men make no deals.”

All Olash could think was that he must not give his thoughts away. Rule of Acquisition 85: Never let the competition know what yo are thinking, “An interesting way to keep your crew in line, Captain.”
DaiMon Olash
Negotiator Zanic

Zachariah’s face registered no outward emotion, although internally, he was delighted that his plan was working. Borrick and Zanic appeared sufficiently spooked and, while Olash was taking care to maintain a poker face, Cobb wasn’t buying it for a second.
“I have no need to keep ‘em in line, Mr Olash,” he replied, solemnly. “Fear does that job for me. Fear of these things we are ordered to fight. Like your artifact.”

The Ferengi had already seen far more than he intended. It was time to change tack for a while, allow Dr Kastil and her sister’s baked delights play good cop to the ARU’s bad. Marching ahead once again, Cobb led the way to the end of the walkway and into a small office, usually the domain of the Containment Shift Leader but currently vacant due to the accident below them.

“Please,” the captain gestured to several chairs dotted around the room, “make yourselves comfortable and we shall organise some refreshments. Never let mortal danger get in the way of a good cup of tea and some cake, eh?”

Then, leaving Kastil to settle their guests for a moment, he beckoned Stone to one side. Cobb had caught a flash of doubt in the Security Chief’s eyes and he needed to be sure she was on board with his plan. This was a house of cards so precarious that it could collapse at any moment and he had no chance of maintaining it without her help.
“I have nothing to barter with except fear,” he whispered. “I need for those Ferengi to hand over the artifact and run back to the Alliance with their tails between their legs. And the only way I can think of to do that is by showing them the bare, unfiltered truth. There are things in this universe far more treacherous than a missed opportunity for profit, Miss Stone. I just hope I can convince our guests to agree.”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

She nodded, as she thought she knew what captain was planning to do. Perhaps she didn’t like how the captain was handling things, but she trusted him completely. He fought in wars and came out alive, so what he did must be right. Her way would probably involve showcasing the firepower they had which might end up bloodier.

“Sir, if we manage to convince them, that we know what we are doing when it comes to artefacts without revealing too much information… well they don’t look like someone willing to get their hands dirty to get the job done. Specially when there might be someone else willing to do the job for them. If we share the information about our findings, it could be enough for them to think they made profit. I wouldn’t disclose something that might get weaponized. But I guess we can deal with that later. Getting Einstein out of here and well ourselves and away teams should be top priority.”

Lt. Andrea Stone, COS