It Can't Rain All the Time

Posted on Fri Sep 13th, 2024 @ 4:42pm by Captain Malcom Llwyedd & Petty Officer 2nd Class Thomas Lopt & Petty Officer 2nd Class Fhiri

1,549 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Interlude 1 Gamma Quadrant
Location: DS18/ Ferengi Starship Flat Rate
Timeline: Interlude

[ON]

Thomas walked next to Fhiri as they made their way down the main docking hub on DS18. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, still trying to figure out why exactly he was awake and escorting Fhiri to a Ferengi ship. There was a slow stream of people moving in the opposite direction, heading to work or find something for breakfast. His own stomach growled, which made Thomas sad.

"Fhiri," Thomas said. "I was mostly asleep when you barged into my room and dragged me out. Where exactly are we going?"

The Feregni engineer snorted. "You need to clean out your lobes regularly, Thomas. I have some wonderful tools you can borrow."

Thomas gulped. "Ah, no. Thank you."

"Your loss. We're headed to the Flat Rate to help them with a computer issue. Or so I'm told," Fhiri said. They turned left onto another, less crowded corridor. Thomas smiled as he saw how many ships were piling up at DS18. That smile drained away when he saw a Romulan Science vessel floating next to the docking pylon. He hadn't been aware that Romulans had come aboard DS18.

"Thomas are you even listening to me?" Fhiri's voice broke through his distraction.

"Yes and no," Thomas said, pointing at the Romulan ship. Fhiri shrugged.

"It's all just different types of rain," she said, which Thomas didn't understand but didn't disagree. "I was saying that a Ferengi ship is a lot like other ships, just more humid, more poorly maintained and full of Ferengi."

"That's good, right?" Thomas asked.

"No. It isn't," Fhiri said as they approached the docking port to the Flat Rate. The semi-circular orange ship hung in front of them. "Let's get this over with," she said and touched the access panel.

"Fhiri," Thomas asked. "Why are you wearing a phaser?" Fhiri just grinned at him.

---

The docking port cycled open and Thomas felt the wave of humid air mixed with a heavy earthy smell. He decided it was a good thing he hadn't eaten anything. A tall Ferengi with an astonishingly long neck, smirked down at them.

"What have we here? Is this some kind of tribute from the station commander?"

Thomas heard Fhiri grinding her teeth, which for Ferengi was really loud.

"No, lobeless, this isn't a tribute. We are the engineers here to fix your computer system, which you've messed up so badly that your life support system is failing."

The Ferengi frowned at them. "I don't need to take that kind of talk from a female! You're..."

Thomas never saw Fhiri's hand move. There was simply a humming sound and a flash of light and the Ferengi crewman collapsed to the ground.

"Fhiri!" Thomas said, horrified. "You... you shot him!"

Fhiri lowered the phaser and squinted at Lopt. "He's not dead," she said.

"But... but... he'll file a report. We'll get thrown in the brig!" Thomas yelled.

"There's no way that kylix worm will make any kind of complaint against us," Fhiri said.

"How do you know?"

Fhiri waved for Lopt to follow. She stepped over the prone form of her target. "He'd have to admit that a female shot him," she said. "Engineering is that way."

Thomas carefully stepped over the fallen figure. He thought about what Fhiri said and... he believed her. "Makes sense, I guess," he muttered and then wrinkled his nose. The smell was getting worse.

---

It became more and more clear that the environmental controls were not functioning when they reached the marine engineering section of the Flat Rate. Thomas was sweating profusely after five minutes.

Fhiri took it all in stride as she stomped in and shouted at the nearest Ferengi Engineer.

"You!" Fhiri yelled. "Point me to you main computer relay."

The Ferengi recoiled at the verbal onslaught. "What... who...," he said.

"Main. Computer Relay," Fhiri said again and the Ferengi pointed to a boxy metal housing not far away. Thomas noted that it was covered with a sheen of green mold.

"Thanks," Fhiri said and moved to the computer relay." Thomas gave a small wave to the stunned engineer.

"What would you like me to do, Fhiri?" He asked.

Fhiri ripped open the relay box and waved a hand. "Try to keep everyone away from me," she said and Thomas nodded. He watched her burrow halfway into the box and then turned around.

He could see three other Ferengi spaced out around the warp core, all glued to what was happening. He smiled and nodded his head but received nothing in return.

About five minutes later, just as Thomas was beginning to think they would get out of the situation without anymore trouble, the door to engineering opened again and a short, stocky Ferengi with slightly deformed lobes walked in.

"Who are you?" The Ferengi said, looking up at Thomas.

"I'm Petty Officer Thomas Lopt of the USS Firebird," Thomas said.

The Ferengi smirked. "I'm Captain Crontz. Are you the one who shot my first officer?"

First officer!? We are going to the brig! Thomas thought. "Uhh, no, sir, I am not." He pointed to the computer relay box where Fhiri's feet could be seen.

Captain Crontz frowned, walked over to the box and kicked the side of it. A loud, metallic, ringing sound echoed throughout the engineering room.

"Get out here!" Captain Crontz yelled.

Fhiri practically shot back out of the computer relay and sprang to her feet.

"You?!" Captain Crontz gasped.

Fhiri smiled. "Me, Crontz."

"You... you're..." Crontz stammered.

"Supposed to be on Ferenginar and running around naked?" Fhiri asked.

Crontz clenched his teeth and then breathed out in one long hiss. He stood up straight. "Yes."

Fhiri edged closer and Thomas stepped out of the way. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw one of the other engineers slip into a side tube, leaving just his face peeking out at the drama unfolding. Thomas wished he had a tube to hide in. He could see the flush rising from Fhiri's neck. He knew from experience that she was getting really angry. He considered hiding in the computer relay box but from what he could see, he wouldn't fit.

"Now that you're back, I will return you to Bartle once the wormhole is open. Until then, I'll keep you in my quarters," Crontz said and then leered.

"I'm part of Starfleet, Crontz. You don't own me anymore. I'm a free Ferengi."

"Free? Free? You're disgusting. You shouldn't be in those clothes at all. Your husband never approved of this!" Crontz yelled.

Husband? Thomas thought. He was dumbstruck by the idea of anyone marrying Fhiri... or Fhiri marrying anyone.

"Fhiri, maybe we should go talk to Captain Llwyedd about this?" Thomas asked. Fhiri glanced at him and then looked back at Crontz.

"No," Fhiri said.

"You can't tell me no," Crontz said. And then he made the mistake of reaching out and grabbing Fhiri on the arm. Thomas decided to dive into the computer relax box, even if he wasn't going to fit. He banged his head on the side just as he heard the sound of phaser fire erupting outside. He counted seven shots before something thumped the top of the relay box.

"Thomas, get out here."

Thomas emerged to find Captain Crontz unconscious on the ground. He glanced around and saw two more engineers sprawled in various positions. Thomas had no doubt that Fhiri had shot them all.

"Are they dead?"

"Sadly, no," Fhiri said. "Let's get out of here."

Again Thomas followed. "What about the repairs?"

"Oh I finished them before I came out to talk with Crontz," she replied.

"Oh. Good work," Thomas said.

"Thanks," Fhiri replied.

They emerged back onto the space station and Thomas felt like weeping with joy. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and took a long breath of the clear air.

"Really strange that you knew the Captain," Thomas said as they started retracing their steps. "What was that about a husband and how do you know Crontz?"

"He's my father," Fhiri said.

The revelation was just too much on top of the whirlwind of events that he'd just experienced. "Your father? You shot your own father? Wait, did you know it was his ship?" A few passing personnel gave Thomas and Fhiri some weird looks but Thomas just ignored them.

"Of course," Fhiri said. "I grew up on that ship."

"But the first officer didn't recognize you," Thomas said.

"Yeah he's new. The last one died on a trade delegation," Fhiri said. "And shooting my father is fun. It's the whole reason I brought the phaser with me." And with that, the computer specialist started walking again. Thomas thought she had a spring in her step, as if she'd just solved some big problem. He shook his head and hurried to catch up.

"We are not going to the brig?" Thomas asked himself.

[OFF]]

Petty Officer 2nd Class Fhiri (NPC by Llwyedd)
Computer Systems Specialist
USS Firebird NCC-88298

Petty Officer 2nd Class Thomas Lopt (NPC by Llwyedd)
Communications Specialist
USS Firebird NCC-88298

 

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