Posted by Gamemaster Deus Ex Machina (GM) in Main sim-Deck 1 Conference room
(snip)

“So… Sprite without the lemon. Missing out should add lemon to it… perfect flu remedy.” Ian said with a small smirk but sat up with a more professional look as he composed himself after.

Bordeaux, CDO

Revna smirked at the information silently. It was hard to get. Good, a point in their favor. She got the 2 coffees, whatever the computer indicated Ian ordered most often and then the Fansca Water. She walked back over, deliberately handing the captain her coffee first. Then she moved towards Alfo and handed him his Fansca Water. Something a patient had told her once made her take special note of the intricate pattern of pins in his hair. She looked to see if the hair seemed burned or damaged where the pins were. Pins like that could be dipped in poison or acid as a subtle but effective weapon. Of course if they were simply sharpened it could be just as deadly. She made sure to note Alfo and Shade’s response to her approach as she placed the drink down and moved on around the table to give Ian his drink. She seemed to move without care, but she also made sure to not turn her back either. She ended back at her chair where she resumed her seat with her coffee.
Lt. Edman, Counselor

There was no signs of burning or poor hair care in the slightest. If she was the envious type the locks of hair that Alfo possessed was healthy, long, and rich. It was like it was pulled out of a shampoo commercial… if they still existed. The pins didn’t seem dangerous, they were short for the most part the longest perhaps 2 inches. That didn’t reveal how sharp they might be, so there could be some danger but that would mean Alfo would be very dangerous in hand to hand combat without the small items in the first place.

“Thank you… young miss.” Alfo picked up his drink waiting for the Captain to lift his drink as well. “To a fruitful negotiation.”

Alfo
GM

A hesitation and ‘young miss’? Either Alfo thought he was very flattering or he was obliviously dismissing her as no more than a servant. Either way Revna would let him believe his misconceptions. She feigned a small surprised smile and politely inclined her head as she moved on.

“Normally negotiations indicate a discussion aimed at reaching an agreement between two parties,” Kelly took a sip of her coffee. “Care to tell me what you are planning to negotiate because I am not sure what you have that is of value to us except a reason why you were going toe to toe with a ship lacking the shielding or weapons to defend itself.”

Captain Kelly Bordeau

Alfo looked stunned for a moment but if faded so quickly it almost made them believe they had never seen it in the first place.

Kelly surprised him. Good, now keep going Captain, Revna silently encouraged. Something about Alfo wasn’t adding up for the counselor. He was too…practiced too rehearsed in his role. He glanced frequently as his ‘guard’ Shade, but the guard, advisor, whatever he was, very determined to NOT do anything. Alfo made her stomach churn.

“I think what Captain Bordeaux means, if I could please…” Ian said with sharp look. His wife wasn’t one to mince words, it was something in many ways he loved about her. Often he wondered if that attraction was due to the fact his best friend Chris was much in the same way. If he was honest, Lexi was more like Ian and Kelly more like Chris. The couples just found their female counterparts.

Standing up as Ian smiled softly as he looked over at the men. “Starfleet is not without it’s sympathies and humanitarian goals, but we do need to know what those issues are before we can handle them. Right now, if you will… you seem to just want tea and crumpets while talking about soft drinks. I doubt that is why you are here, otherwise why all the effort with as Captain Bordeaux said… a ship that could pop you like a raw pimple.”

Bordeaux, CDO

Okay so Ian and Kelly were playing at good cop/bad cop? And that left her…to observe. They had obviously done this several times before. Revna sat back, seemingly relaxed and watched Shade. So far there was little to tell about the man who might as well have been a statue. Her attention turned to Shade watching him looking for any information his body language might provide. Particularly she watched his eyes.

He looked at the male Bordeaux he turned back to the Captain. Alfo opened his hands, “Captain, It doesn’t take a genius to know you aren’t from around here, with no legal authority to enforce the laws of the space lanes. So you are a …” He looked at Shade, “how do you say it…” He turned back without any help from the stoic soldier and smiled. “A vigilante…”

“Vigilante is such a strong word. Theoretically we are a space exploration force not a police force,” she leaned forward to make sure he understood the difference. At times yeah we need some big honk’in space guns but ever try to talk to Cardassian in a bad mood. They put the ass in Cardassian if you now what I mean.” Kelly knew the reference would be lost on Alfo but Alfo was not exactly the stuffed suit type diplomat. She had Ian around for the perfect diction speeches.

Alfo spared a glance at Shade when the Captain mentioned Cardassians, quickly identifying it as a proper noun, but not being able to place it. Shade just pursed his lips at the glance.

Hmmm....so he is paying attention at least, Revna thought at the brief look that passed his face. They were not familiar with Cardassians, which was good in her book, but they didn’t need to give them more information about the politics of their part of space.

Standing up, Ian paced a bit before leaning into Kelly “Let’s not bring in the Cardassians, entire planet bombarded by Dominion when they turned sides… might seem like a threat if they know anything about what happened to them.” Ian said as he leaned in to softly whisper into Kelly’s ear before he walked behind her as he paced just slightly before standing back beside her.

“Thing is, being a vigilante doesn’t pay well. It doesn’t make you friends as those you save often don’t care for you and neither does the law.”

“Neither does being dead, but we don’t want that do we?” Ian said, his tone low. He wasn’t able to make full threats, but he wasn’t like the insutations either as he sat back down with a placid smile over his face as he tried to make sure the room kept a calm tone.

“They say the universe is one grand linked system, you can not create something without destroying something else. I guess the key is to not to be destroyed as one creates.”

Philosophy? Revna was still watching Shade, and she wasn’t getting much from him, and that made a growing pit gnaw at her stomach.

“Again with the vigilante,” Kelly repeated feeling a bit annoyed. It was not like they hoisted up the Jolly Roger and were keel hauling people. “We saw an issue and decided to make sure everyone was okay. You know as in hey do you need aid. Where are you getting the pillaging from?” She tried to keep her sarcasm to a minimum but the man was making it sound like her rendering aid was a kin to stripping down the shuttle and stealing all thier spare parts. “So Mr. Alfo are you the law in the quadrant by election or force?” If he was going to lob around terms like that Kelly would bat them right back.

“No, not the law… merely someone you sees opportunity. If I could reach my ends by a… nobler manner I would.”

Revna doubted Alfo would do anything by a nobler manner. He enjoyed his life and how he went about it, and if Ian and Kelly bought that line they might as well beam themselves into the endless expanse of space. Alfo would only use a nobler manner if it was easier and brought a greater profit, she would wager. He literally strutted in here like a peacock looking for a mate, and he enjoyed the presumption.

He looked around the room. “Your ship, your technology is very impressive, but you are alone… damaged.” He held up his hands, “Not nearly as wounded as to be easy prey but not fully healthy either.”

“My nacelles are ample enough,” she said. It was hard for her to hear the truth. Probably pride in the ship but almost entirely in her crew. They could do anything hat was needed but it wasn’t always necessary to do it alone. Her comment however did not stop Alfo who continued to talk and explain his point.

“Let’s not bring up your nacelles in public again, last time that enraged the Yridians when we found out that meant to fornicate with their mother in their native tongue.” Ian whispered in her ear as he looked back over at the two smiling.

“You are far from home, without allies, so without even a factum of data about you I know one of two things must be true. You either want to go home, or you want to stake your claim in this sector. In either case you need repair facilities, supplies, a base of operations… and maybe a friend?” Alfo spoke in a rich voice with an slightly affected lisp. “I can offer all of the aforementioned… and perhaps a cut. No matter what you may think of our operations, whether you want to work with us or not, money is something you certainly will need.”

Alfo and Shade making far too much sense
GM

Revna kept her attention on Shade, but she didn’t like the sound of Alfo’s voice. Often a lisp makes one appear softer and weaker than you were, and though he obviously used the lisp regularly, Revna was sure it was all for sure. This man was not somone she would want to meet in a back ally alone.
Lt. Edman, Counselor

Kelly opened her mouth to speak and then paused ever so slightly. Alfo was speaking the truth plain and true. While Starfleet might not approve of the Atlantis cavorting with pirates or at least minimally people of lesser reputations, the powers that be made allies of the Ferengi. “So are you here to hire us for a job or help you with one?” As soon as the words left her mouth one other sentence popped into her mind. It was the unofficial motto of the ship. Its better to beg for forgiveness that ask for permission. This would not be the first time she had had to beg for forgiveness on bended knee and it wouldn’t be the last. One just purchased really good knee pads when you dealt with pencil pushers. At the end of the day it was about why you did something. If brass demanded an apology for something she did that saved lives or minimized a crisis, she was fine with giving them the lip service apology.

Captain Kelly Bordeaux

“No no… no one is hiring us… right?” Ian said with a wide eyed look as he glanced over at Kelly. The PR nightmare that would become if any whiff of that came out. “We lend aid, we fight off baddies… we don’t get hired… nor do we accept help from those that hurt others.” Ian said in a escaperated tone. None of this seemed to be going to plan. His job was to keep Kelly on a narrow path and defuse volitle situations, right now he felt like a powder keg was in the room.

Bordeaux, CDO

Alfo paused and looked at Ian. “Am I negotiating with the wrong person, Captain.” As his glance returned to Kelly. “Your aide seems to question every thing you say and hear, before you get to respond.”

“No I am the Captain of the ship. As to why Lt. Commander Bordeaux seems to question things....ever try to work with your spouse,” she let out a small laugh.

“Yes, of course.” Alfo tilted his head slightly. “He is a handsome man. I can see why you keep him around.”

Ian titled his eyebrow at the comment. Handsome or not, he was the one who often lead negotiations like this. It was the job he had been giving, make peace where possible, let Kelly blow up the rest. It’s a shock sometimes Chris didn’t request this ship sooner, her cavalier approach often reminded him of her.

He now looked as if he were addressing both of them. “I don’t presume to know what you are willing to do. If you want… work… I can find you that. If you want a cut of our profits to let us be on our way, I can arrange that too… The other option.. supplies, repairs, and or an alliance… well that is more of a two way street and it appears that you like to keep us at a disadvantage.”

Alfo and the slient Shade.
GM

Revna’s voice was smooth, but low in volume as she spoke and it carried across the room, but they would have to listen carefully. She had often used this voice when a patient was troubled and needed to stop panicking and think. That wasn’t the purpose here, she simply wanted their attention. “You came to negotiate, and so far you have made offers, but no requests. It leaves me wondering what you want, or what you think you can get from us. And as of yet you have offered nothing that is of much consequence to us.” Kelly wanted Billy Bad Butt, well let them think they have nothing the ship needed. They did need repairs, they did need a safe place to do that. But to be the baddest meanest kid on the playground, you had to make sure no one KNEW that. “So what do you want Mr. Alfo? What is it you think you can get from us? And what do you really have to offer?”

Lt. Edman, Counselor

“To leave alive that’s what I want. A friend if you wish to be.” Alfo smirked at the counselor and waved his hands in a grand fashion with a bow. “The lamb does not make demands of the lion. You have us at a disadvantage, your Captain and her advisor has said as much with word, deed, and half veiled threat. If this is actually a fair negotiation, then let us be on our way and I will bid you a good day.” He turned to the Captain. “Are you what you claim to be… Captain… Explorers or those who use force to instill their will?”

Alfo, seizing opportunity offered
GM

Kelly shifted in her seat looking at Alfo. “We have no intention of harming you. You will leave as you came whenever you choose to but,” she said in a neutral tone, “I am most interested in your offer to help us refill our supplies. You mentioned something about alliances and a commercial center,” Kelly asked.

Captain Kelly Bordeaux

“Supplies are easier.” He paused. “Our base of operations… is covert. I’m sure you understand. You could easily pretend to seek an arrangement and instead find our base and capture it. That level of arrangement requires trust.”

“If you could give me a list of your needs. We can continue our discussion.”

Alfo
GM

“We can ask our department heads what they need, I am sure we can find some things you might be able to help…” Ian said with a cautionary tone to his voice. He wasn’t still certain if this was the way to go, but it was the way they were going regardless.

Bordeaux, CDO