A frustrated debrief
Posted on Sun Sep 27th, 2020 @ 5:25pm by Centurion Nancy Gable & Lieutenant Hatham tr'Krotash & Colonel Sehan t'Varis & Major Ashley Rogers & Lieutenant Kaol Ralaa
1,572 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
Shore Leave: Welcome to Drozana
Location: Commander's Ready Room, the Raven's Claw
Timeline: 238701.02
Raven shook her head as she read through the report from Drozana station security again. So apparently, no less than four of her officers had attempted to threaten a merchant into lowering his prices, and, when he refused to give in, even after being physically assaulted with a bat'leth, they had drugged him and robbed him. When the merchant came to, he had found his premises thrashed, and his stock was gone.
Over the past two days, since learning of the location of the Ourainavassa, Raven and her crew had been busy preparing to take the ship off the pirates. While engineering was busy installing the new parts Raven had acquired from her old acquaintance, Captain Stephenson, she and the Subcommander had started working on a plan. Meanwhile, Ash and Hatham had been scouring the bazaar for any useful ordinance they could find, within a generous budget set by Gedak, and the two medical officers had been on the hunt for a prosthetic arm, as well as other supplies. At least that was what Raven had been told, before this new report had come in. While she was sure that the merchant's report to station security had been generously exaggerated, she still needed to find out what had actually happened.
With a sigh, Raven pressed the intercom button. "Doctors Gable and Ralaa, Centurion Rogers, Sublieutenant tr'Krotash. Please report to my ready room at once."
Ash looked at Hatham at the sound of Raven's voice and said sarcastically, "Uh oh... seems like we are being called to the principals office..." She wasn't exactly surprised this was going to happen, but its hard to get away with murder with four very identifiable people involved.
"Bound to happen." Hatham shrugged. "Can't wait to hear what wild claims that merchant came up with."
Ash rolls her eyes, "Wish we had that body cam... or maybe not..." She knew that a body cam would probably not look good on her. Her mind ran through the events, she and Hatham came in on the merchant and two armed guards threatening the two doctors. Hatham dispatched one and she took care of the other. An argument ensued between them and merchant... Kaol drugged the guy in self defense. Ash was content with what happened.
Kaol was lying on a biobed examining himself after Gable had treated him for a disruotor wound inflicted by Ashley Rogers, he still could not believe she actually shot him. And now they're all being paged to see the commanding officer. "Do you think the Colonel would be lenient seeing as I was wounded?" He muttered putting his boot back on.
"Probably not, but don't worry about it, kid." Nancy picked up her PaDD with the contract, extortionary follow up 'price adjustment', and her estimate for cost of her time. "But I can add pain and suffering to my list of what the merchant owes us."
With that she headed for Raven's office. She had no illusions that this would be pleasant, but felt that merchant should be grateful he'd gotten off so easy. Cheating someone in a Galae uniform, to say nothing of Tal Shiar, was usually an excellent way ensure a one way trip out and airlock.
She was moving a little slower to let Kaol keep up on his freshly healed foot, so arrived just as Ash and Hatham were entering. She sincerely hoped Ash would be a little less ...Ash.
Raven looked up as the four officers entered her ready room. "Morning, ladies and gentlemen." Her voice was stern, almost exhasperated - but with a hint of sarcastic glee nonetheless. "I think you all know why I asked you here." She picked up a PADD from her desk.
"I had a message from Drozana station security this morning. Apparently, a medical supplies merchant was threatened, assaulted, and then robbed, by four people." She looked at the PADD. "Now I could read out the details on here, but I don't really care." With a sigh, the Colonel stood. "What happened. And I want the short version, I don't have time for this as is."
"Okay, short version." Gable tossed her PaDD on the Colonel's desk before Ash could pipe up. "The contract is there. The following exorbitant demand for double the fee is there," she explained, pointing to the messages. "I went to talk some reason into the ptak, but he not only wouldn't bargain, he threatened us and demanded even more. There were raised voices. Rogers and Hatham overheard and came to aid us. Unfortunately, Dr. Ralaa isn't used to such negotiations and jumped in with a hypospray, albeit with the best intentions."
"We could send merchant the original purchase price, but based on this," she pointed to a last item on the PaDD, "by estimate he owes us for time, pain and suffering, and delay in attaching the arm, which cost our patient in time to full recovery."
Raven nodded slowly. "I see. And I assume the two people that were shot were his hired muscle? The one that survived lost all use of his arm, by the way. So they are demanding compensation for that, as well as damages, and what the merchant claims to be lost income."
Ash remained quiet as Nancy talked. Discretion was preferable in this situation. No one needed to know she was actually going to kill the merchant had Kaol not stepped in. The new weapon and the complicated settings would not excuse her actions, but would partially be mitigating. "I doubt that he actually lost use of his arm. Hatham, show the Colonel what you used to shoot him," she said, finally speaking up. "The merchant is still trying to swindle us."
"This. And it was on low setting." Hatham pulled out the tiny disruptor.
Nancy had to contain a snicker, especially remembering the sight of the giant Romulan bursting through the door with that.
[tag?]
The colonel sighed. "I would not be surprised. I have had my share of experience with guys like that. And even station security did not seem all that convinced by his story." She shook her head. "Still, this is a lot of unneeded drama."
Ash glanced at Hatham and the doctors, "If I may speak freely? We are new players on this station, we are clearly trying to gather supplies, that makes us targets. Merchants like these are going to try to make a quick buck off of us. Gable and Ralaa stood up to this guy and Hatham and I did our jobs protecting our crew from a bad situation. Nothing that happened was improper. I recommend that we cut the bullshit, pay the guy what he originally asked for and by doing so we've sent a message that we mean business but we are ... fair."
Raven chuckled. "I see you have the situation figured out, Ash. Glad to see it. I hope word of your little adventure gets around the station. I will let security know that the merchant was paid exactly what was initially agreed, and not a grain more. And that if he wants to challenge it, he'll have to come to us in person." She looked around. "Did the merchandise at least meet requirements?"
"I still think he owes for time and trouble," Gable remarked. "But the prosthetic does meet our specs, so it's worth the original price." She smirked. "I'll keep my bat'leth handy in case he wants to come by and dispute that."
Ash grinned at Nancy and shot a knowing glance to Kaol, "I know I'm ready for round 2 with this guy. But I'd like to think that if he's any kind of competent businessman, he'd quit while he was ahead. Right, Kaol?"
Kaol looked around the room, he figured that if it was just Rogers and had he not intervened, there would be no merchant filing a report with security and all there would be was a missing persons report for Verrul. Yet no one acknowledged that elephant in the room... which, he supposed was for the best. "Yes, Centurion," he addressed Ash by rank. "I think this was the best outcome possible and we can finally give our patient her new arm."
Ash nodded and winked at Kaol, "Glad you agree. After all, you were the triggerman, Doctor. Hope you have more hyposprays ready in case he does want to... dispute... the transaction."
Kaol's eyes went wide as he looked to Gable and Raven for support. Hatham seemed to be concurring with Rogers.
Though she had to suppress a chuckle, Nancy wasn't entirely without sympathy for the other Doctor. Besides, the was a principle to uphold. "No. My medbay. My signature on the order. If Verrul wants to ...argue... he'll have to argue with me."
Raven just shook her head. "Keep your schoolyard bickering out of my office, all of you. I am sure you have work to get back to, anyway. Dismissed." Without waiting for another word, she sat back down and turned her attention back to her console.
Ash and Hatham nodded and turned to leave and as soon as they left Raven's office, Ash turned to Nancy. "If you ever need backup,..." she left the remainder of the sentiment unsaid.
"Same," Gable replied with nod and slight smile. "Though given your history, I'll be providing backup in patching you up again before long."
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