The hour was very late, the stars disappearing behind a thick blanket of clouds. Thunder echoed down the empty boulevard, warning of the fast moving storm front sweeping into Omega Prime. Ms. Kent quickened her pace a she felt the first drops of rain tap her shoulders. As much as she wanted to beat the storm, she dreaded the task before her. Mr. Dinn had proved to be something of a task master, and he did not understand the meaning of the word “NO”.
“No” Mr. Dinn, we can’t get the time slots on the news networks you want on such short notice. “No” Mr. Dinn, I can’t seem to convince Julio from down the street to give up the position he has had for the last five years to come and be your Executive Chief. “No” Mr. Dinn…….
Each occasion was met with the same icy cold stare that she expected this evening. Another clap of thunder and the sky opened up, with Ms. Kent still a dozen yards from the Clubs entrance. She ran the rest of the way and jerked open the heavy door, tossing off her soaked overcoat to the floor of the new smaller lobby. So lost in thought that as she opened the second set of doors and rushed through she nearly flipped over the banister of balcony.
“SHIT!” she screamed. This was her first visit trip back to RICKS in two days and she was unprepared for the progress of construction.
The floor she had expected to walk onto was gone. Both levels were now opened into a huge space. To either side of her was a stairway going down to the lower floor. The entire lounge was richly paneled in wood, its tans and golds set off by soft lighting. Glass and silver Chandeliers hung from the ceiling accentuating its height and track lighting illuminated paintings set into the walls.
In a booth opposite the long bar Marcus Dinn looked up from his conversation with the Decorator, Karkaf.
“Is there a problem Ms. Kent?” he called up.
She looked down at him shaking her head. “Oh no. I just nearly killed myself, its nothing, really.” She started down the stairs, ‘I hadn’t expected you to be this far along!”
Marcus turned his attention back to the blueprints layed out before him. ‘It will be your undoing Ms. Kent. Never assume a room will be just as you left it……Or anything else for that matter.”
She reached the bottom of the stairs, sure that he was talking as much to himself as to her. She still had no real clue of his past. He refused to elaborate beyond the fact that he was retired from Star Fleet. But she was certain there was quite a story to him, you didn’t get to be as wealthy as he obviously must be, in the service of Star Fleet. His past had become a mystery she was determined to unravel.
“Did you get the replicator program I requested Ms. Kent?” he asked as she pulled up a chair to his table.
Here it came. Like a recording on an endless loop. ‘I’m sorry Mr. Dinn. No one, and I mean no one on Omega Prime has or knows how to locate the China pattern you are looking for.”
Marcus put down the marker from his hand and Karkaf quickly excused himself.
“Ms. Kent. It seems that more often than not, you are unable to complete the simplest of tasks. Have I made an error in judgment in hiring you?”
Ms. Kent looked away, the emotion stuck in her throat. She really did want to be a part of this…endeavor. RICKS was obviously going to be THE place to be seen. And the amount of credits she was being paid was so much more than she’d ever had before.
‘I’ll find it Mr. Dinn.” she said , her voice wavering.
“How Ms. Kent?”
She thought for a moment. “I know a young man a the Academy. He can get me a link to Memory Alpha. If its not there, it simply must not exist.”
Marcus smiled. “And why…Ms. Kent, did you not do that to start with?”
She smiled and shrugged her shoulders, worrying to herself what the young man was going to expect in return for such a favor. Inquires to Memory Alpha usually took weeks for mere civilians.
“No matter” Marcus said. “This time tomorrow we can start producing 12th Dynasty Rubicon table settings!”
Ms. Kent knew there would be no further extensions for her deadline as Karkaf returned from the bar, handing her a glass of Andorian Whiskey. She took a long sip letting the burning liquid burn away the tension still in her throat. Changing the subject she said. ‘It such a shame we weren’t able to open before the start of the Vulcan games.”
Marcus didn’t look up from his work. “Yes, but, its not the students we will be catering to Ms. Kent. It’s the Professors, the scientist, Government Administrators we will appeal to.”
“Of course.” she replied. “And the off world trade.” After a pause she continued. “I’m sure the Romulan threat will be over soon. Did you see the explosion in the sky this afternoon? The news said the Romulans were in retreat.”
“Ms. Kent. It would be unwise to place to much faith in Star Fleet for your protection. Right now the Yang is receiving orders to depart Omega Prime. And the Romulans, however wounded, are not going anywhere.”
“The Yang is leaving!?”
“I’m sure your news service will report it within the hour.”
Ms. Kent sipped at the remainder of her whiskey, wondering at his source of information. “But you’re retired Star Fleet Mr. Dinn. You talk like you’re just a bit disillusioned with them.”
Marcus slipped out of the booth and started for the bar. “Lets just say I know enough to ignore all the propaganda Ms. Kent.”
He poured himself a Romulan Ale and walked back. ‘Now, we have to finish our plans on the other two rooms. Shall we?”
Off:
Marcus Dinn.
Retired Star Fleet
Owner of RICKS
