Location:The Solvency: Board Room - Guilded Lobe Consortium
Peandel looked around the table at her team. She was wearing ‘the Vulcan bob’ wig, it wasn’t an audit, but she needed her instincts to remain sharp, as they were coming up to an important part of the Guilded Lobe Consortium’s future, the opportunity to control the treasury of Oed V and ensure local businesses had the opportunity to meet their current and future needs and that the appropriate levels of taxation were applied to encourage future development. She was a Ferengi Businesswoman, she had long since proven that she had the lobes for business, other Ferengi, Orion Syndicate members, Romulan, Cardassian, Bajoran, even Federation traders underestimated her and had consequently met their match at her hands. These were her most trusted people …

Krex had been with her from the start, an indentured worker for her father, she gave him a way out his life … work for her, maintain her machines, and she’d ensure he’d never have to look at another financial statement again. He had proved his wealth many times over, the ship systems, the equipment, the tools, all worked well.

“The colony systems, Krex,” she asked him.

“Peandel, they are pretty much standard for the Federation, there are some inefficiencies, but in the main they work well. They use a power grid, with backups, and part of the mineral mined on their orbital platform is used to keep their lights on and the systems secure. I have ideas on how to improve their systems to improve outputs, but I need to be there to do them.” He continued on with details, answering questions from the others.

“The staffing, Talis,” Peandel asked one of the two Andorian sisters.

Talis, dressed in a red suit of shimmer silk, spoke to a padd, the display showing a number of people one by one. “They have gone through a period of limited Federation officers, it appears, a lot of acting and assistant Department Heads, the Civilian leadership though seems much more stable. I do know that the Governor and Lt Governor have left, and that a new Lt Governor has been appointed. There’s a judge there, civilian directors of a number of departments, and a handful of others. Some interesting community leaders of shops,” she looked at Vespera, “though nothing quite like what we’re wanting to set up.”

The Orion woman, a green flowing dress that was almost the same colour of her skin replied, “of course not, dear, nothing is quite like what we want to set up, we want to be the best, afterall, and you can’t have more than one being the best.”

Talis nodded in response, “that’s true. Anyway, looks like we’ll have a clear go at things, Peandel.”

Peandel tapped her lobes, “ok, sounds like it is well set up for us to move in and save the colony and support the widows and children further.”

Krex looked at her, concern in her eyes, “Peandel … Moogie … are your lobes malfunctioning? The wig causing headaches? Do you need me to adjust the settings?”

“No, Krex,” Peandel replied, “it’s all good, thanks for your concern though.” She looked around the table, her gaze fell on Talis’ sister, Vayla, “thoughts on their security?”

“Its being renewed, a recent addition is a Lieutenant Hatorm Alvarsen, from the Midgard colony world,” Vayla reported, “he looks … tall.”

A picture of Hatorm Alvarsen appeared on the monitor, the last member of the group, the half Bajoran/half Cardassian hybrid looked sharply at it, “he looks sunburnt,” she stated sharply, “he’s a fool, this lieutenant, he has type I skin with significant ephelides. He’s highly susceptible to UV radiation and thermal burns from …” she thinks for a moment, “I’d suggest G-type stars or brighter. He should be getting sub-dermal melanin treatments regularly, I bet he neglects to apply the blockers he needs. Seems we need to get there and take care of the colonists from themselves.”

Peandel held up a hand, “patience, Doctor Kintsugi, we’ll get there soon enough. A moment” Tapping a button, she opened a channel to the bridge.

^$^Peandel to bridge, how long before we arrive at Oed V colony?^$^

A moment, before the response came ^$^ Ma’am we should be there in 18 hours, 15 minutes. We’ve already sent our arrival details to their spaceport and we’ve received clearance to land. ^$^

^$^ Thank you, bridge, we’ll need you to rest to land The Solvency. Vayla will relieve you. Rest for 8 hours. ^$^

^$^ Understood. ^$^

Vayla nodded to Peandel and left the ship’s boardroom for the bridge. Peandel gave Dr Kintsugi her full attention, “so, Doctor, the current status of our workforce? And what you’ll be able to do at Oed V?”

“Our workforce is in good shape, with the peace on Gildin IV holding, we’ve been able to provide support to those widows and children, 85% of them have agreed to our terms, and our vessels have begun to move them to our facilities to educate and care for them. As for Oed V, given the lack of attention our Lieutenant Alvarsen has given to his own health, it seems to me that some kind of burns treatment facility will be most helpful. Knowing the Federation and Starfleet Medical, they’ll be at least five years off putting anything in place to treat the burns suffered by their people. We can get it set up almost immediately, as you know, I can move much quicker than Starfleet Medical, they have red tape to worry about, we have no such issues.”

Peandel looked around at her people, and nodded, “thank you all, we have a challenge ahead of us and we all need to be at our sharpest. We never know what the Governor will throw at us. We can probably expect that we’ll have people attempt to bribe us, but you know that there is nothing as dangerous as an honest business woman. This meeting of the board of the Guilded Lobe is declared closed. Computer end recording, prepare the minutes and distribute to all members of the board.”

Vespera, Dr Kintsugi and Talis all departed the room at that point, leaving Krex and Peandel alone. As the door shut, Krex went over to her, “the headaches, they did return, didn’t they, Peandel?”

Peandel didn’t respond to the question, but instead pointed to her wig, “remove it, Krex.”

With tenderness, Krex reached over with a tool and lessened the bond between the wig and the top of Peandel’s head, shortly after, Peandel was bald.

“We should let Dr Kintsugi know, Peandel,” Krex insisted, “she’ll give you something.”

“No, I will not appear weak in front of the team, Krex,” Peandel replied.

“But…” Krex protested.

“I said no, Krex,” Peandel told him, leaving the room, and Krex sat there, Peandel’s Vulcan’s bob on the table in front of him.

Oed V Colonial Treasury Office, Guilded Lobe Consortium and Lobes & Tresses Personnel and Facilities:
Personnel
^$^ Peandel, Owner - Guilded Lobe Consortium and Lobes & Tresses Owner; Director - Colonial Treasury; ‘Napolean of Commerce’ ^$^
^$^Krex, (Ferengi - male) Mr Fix It, Engineer ^$^
^$^Vayla Thon (Andorian - female) Head of Peandel’s Security Detail ^$^
^$^Talis Thon (Andorian - female) Head of Logistics, Operations, Finances and HR ^$^
^$^Vespera (Orion - female) Head of Retail, ‘Lobes & Tresses Manager’, Manufacturing of the Shimmer Silk product, Tailor of High-End Fashion, ‘Cultural Influencer’ ^$^
^$^Dr Kintsugi (Bajoran/Cardassian hybrid - female) - Looks after the Physical and Mental Health of Peandel’s Widow and Children ‘Army’, runs Kintsugi Studios ^$^
Facilities
^$^The Solvency^$^