After signing off with Captain Tyler of the Blythe, Lieutenant Commander Varyn K’lev, commanding officer of the Culver City, turned to his chief operations Officer, Lieutenant (jg) Tiza.  “How long until the generators and industrial replicators will be ready to transfer to the surface?”

Tiza checked his display.  “The generators’re being moved to the cargo transporter now; the last of them should be in place in a few minutes.  Replicators should be crated and ready to go already, though, but we’ve only got two towing sleds for them, so we’ll have to send the third one later.  Just need to finish preflight checks on the shuttles that’ll tow them, then we can get them moving.  And per the notes, the crates are appropriately mis-labeled and spoofed.”

K’lev nodded, standing and tapping his combadge.  “K’lev to Pelix.  I need you to put some away teams together, to go with each of the generators and install them, with an additional team to handle the industrial replicator delivery, the location of the warehouse where we are to drop off the replicators is being uploaded to the shuttles now.  Make sure all teams include light security escorts; phasers for security only, and locked on stun.  I’d like you with the group going to the main power station; let’s meet in transporter room 1.”

“On it,” Pelix said, then closed the channel.

K’lev started walking towards the turbolift, then stopped and turned around.  “I’ll be going along as well, to see how things are down there; Ophelia I’d like you to come with me.  Ari, ship’s yours ‘til I get back.  Let’s get to it!”

With that, K’lev and Lotharys entered the turbolift, the doors closing behind them; back on the bridge, Phillips stood from the helm and moved to the center seat.  A short ride in the turbolift deposited the pair just down the corridor from Transporter Room 1.  When they entered the room, then found Pelix with a trio of engineers, all carrying toolkits, and a quartet of security officers; the chief engineer huffed when he saw that not only was the first officer apparently joining the team, but the captain was as well.  “I’m not gonna tread on your toes, Pelix,” K’lev said, holding a hand up to forestall any protests.  “The install’s yours to handle; I just wanna see the situation down there for myself.”

Pelix nodded, mollified.  K’lev looked around the group.  “Okay, so it’s official: Pelix, you’ll take care of the installation at the main plant, with your engineering team, as well as coordinate the other generator teams.  Ophelia and I will be taking a larger look at what’s going on down there, and handle the replicator gift while we’re at it.  Other than security escorts, we’ll leave the phasers here – I don’t want us to look like a threat – but,” he turned to the transporter chief, “have an extra security team on standby just in case we need help.  Everyone keep in touch, and don’t get reckless; remember, we’re here to help, not meddle.”

Nine heads nodded in affirmation of their captain’s orders.  “Let’s get to it, then!” K’lev said.

Just then the intercom sounded.  “Bridge to the captain,” came Phillips’ voice.  “We just got word from the Dergans; they’re requesting that an extra generators be sent to their main power station, just outside their capital city, as a spare.”

K’lev nodded.  “Acknowledge the request, and tell them they’re on the way.”  He looked over to Pelix, who shrugged.

“Yes, sir,” said Phillips, then the channel closed.  Pelix and his engineering team, joined by two of the security officers, quickly gathered their gear, then stepped up onto the transporter platform.  With a nod, K’lev gave the order: “Energize.”

The transporter chief touched a control, and with a hum and a wash of energy the six dematerialized, beaming down from the Culver City.  K’lev and Lotharys followed, with the other pair of security officers.  They rematerialized in an open field on the outskirts of Derganix’s main power station, just outside its capital city.  “Well, Pelix, it’s your mission,” he said, nodding to his Tellarite chief engineer.  “We’re going to go have a look around.”

Pelix nodded, then turned to his engineers.  “Let’s get in there,” he said, and began leading his team into the power station.  Meanwhile, K’lev, Lotharys, and their security escorts headed into the city proper, walking for the government complex and the ‘Grand Pasture’ that had been mentioned in Blythe‘s recent dispatch about their meeting with the Dergan leadership.

((Dergan Main Power Station))

Pelix and his team were quickly welcomed through the gates to the main power station for the Dergan capital.  Making their way into the plant’s main generator complex, they saw the plant manager, whose name they’d been told was Thakil, along with a few of his colleagues, and a Ferengi.  As the Starfleet away team approached, the Ferengi stepped forward, trying to take control of the meeting.  “Welcome!  My name is Vozzt, and I am the CFT liaison for the Derganix Power Company.”

Pelix sized him up.  “Right…” he said, then sidestepped the Ferengi to face Thakil.  “I’m Lieutenant Pelix, chief engineer of the USS Culver City,” he said to the Dergan.  “Got a couple of generators standing by to beam down; where’d you like them, so we can get started with this installation?”

As Vozzt fumed at being ignored, Thakil smiled widely.  “Welcome, lieutenant!  We’re most grateful for your assistance; if you could have the generators beamed right over there,” he pointed towards a pre-cleared area, next to an open slot that would only fit one generator, a fact not lost on Pelix, “that would be most helpful!  Will you need any help with the installation?”

Pelix shrugged.  “My team can handle our generator, but we could use someone with expertise in your power systems to talk us through adapting them to your grid, if you’ve got someone available.”

Thakil nodded.  “I can certainly ask one of my team if they’d be willing to consult with your team, and we would appreciate it greatly if someone from your team would be willing to train some of our team in your technology, so that we could maintain it once you’ve left.”

“Yeah, we can make that happen,” Pelix responded, then tapped his combadge.  “Pelix to Culver City.  Beam down two generators to the open area just in front of me.”

Thakil looked rather affronted at Pelix’s commanding tone, but before he could raise the issue the hum of a transporter heralded the arrival of the two generators.  Once they had fully materialized, Pelix turned to his team.  “Right, let’s get this thing installed.  You two,” he pointed to the two security officers, “go wait over there,” he then jabbed a thumb in the direction of a back wall, before focusing on his engineers.  “Let’s install some generators!”

As the engineers got started, one of the security officers – petty officer third class R’vatas – noticed Vozzt walking towards the generator that wasn’t being worked on.  Vozzt pulled a small device out of his pocket and put it on the generator’s crate; R’vatas started forward, but before she could say more than “Sir!” to try and get Pelix’s attention, the generator dematerialized as it was beamed away.

She did get Pelix’s attention, though; he turned just as the last of the transporter’s hum faded away.  “What happened?  Where’s the other generator?”

R’vatas pointed at Vozzt, taking a bit of an assertive stance.  “He attached something to it, then it was beamed away.”

Pelix turned to Thakil, who spread his arms apologetically.  “We had promised that we would give the Consortium a generator if we ended up with a spare; I apologize for any alarm.”

Unbeknownst to the CC’s away team, the Dergans had made a deal with the Ferengi to allow them to take a few of the Fusion Generators as a form of payment towards the debt that the Dergans owed the Ferengi.

Pelix sighed, turning back to R’vatas.  “Notify the captain; he’ll want to hear about this,” he said, then went back to the installation of the remaining generator.

R’vatas tapped her combadge.  “Petty Officer R’vatas to Culver City; please patch me in to Commander K’lev.”

After a moment, K’lev’s voice came over R’vatas’s combadge.  “K’lev here.  What’s up, petty officer?”

“Sir, one of the generators that was earmarked for the main station has been beamed away; the station administrator says he’d promised the Ferengi a generator if they got a spare,” R’vatas reported.

A sigh came over the speaker.  “Have Culver City notify the other teams, the generators we’re carrying are for the Dergans only; if the Ferengi need some, they can file a request for assistance at Framheim.”

“Yes, sir,” she replied.  “R’vatas out.”

((En route to the Great Pasture))

Up until now, the walk through the Dergan capital city had been quiet and enlightening.  It was quite an elegant city, in its own way, but one that was clearly struggling; their architectural style could be described as resembling the Art Deco style of Earth’s mid-20th century, though it was showing signs of wear.  K’lev and Lotharys had seen a number of Dergans who seemed to be having a rather rough day, showing some clear signs of withdrawal from some sort of substance; courtesy of Captain Tyler, they already knew what that substance was, but even if they hadn’t they soon found out, as they passed a pair of Dergans in the middle of a munch-out in a side alley.  “I wonder if we could get a sample of this cabbage somehow,” K’lev had said to Lotharys, “perhaps Hilava could synthesize a counter-agent for it?”  Lotharys had agreed, but that was not a problem for this exact moment.

A few minutes later, the call from R’vatas came in over K’lev’s combadge.  When the conversation was over, K’lev ran his right hand over the metal plate on his head.  “Why didn’t they ask us for help?” Lotharys asked; she had heard the conversation.

K’lev shrugged.  “Who knows?” he said with a rueful chuckle.  “Remember when the biggest issue we’d had on a second-contact mission was a hydro-electric turbine that’d been installed backwards?” he asked, the both of them knowing full-well that that was far from the biggest issue they’d ever had on a second-contact mission, and neither wanting to jinx this voyage by invoking the specter of Palix Bravo.

“Yup,” Lotharys agreed with a laugh.  “Not gonna lie, I miss those days sometimes.”

Around twenty minutes later, the duo and their security escorts arrived at the government complex.  They were shown inside the main building, making their way to what appeared to be a conference room.  In the reception area outside of the room, a pair of Dergans, joined by three Ferengi, stood talking amongst themselves, though the conversation ceased when the Starfleet quartet walked in.

One of the Dergans, joined by one of the Ferengi, walked over to greet the Starfleet team.  “Hello!” said the Ferengi.  “I’m Farvix, a representative of Duwalla Space Explorations, Limited; this is Barka, a Launch Director with the Dergan Space Launch Center.  We hadn’t expected to receive another Starfleet delegation so soon; what can we help you with?”

K’lev looked at Barka, ignoring Farvix.  “Launch Director, I’m Lieutenant Commander K’lev, captain of the Culver City; this is my first officer and science officer, Lieutenant Ophelia Lotharys.  We were told that you’d requested a meeting?”

Barka nodded.  “I appreciate you coming so soon; would you like to join us in the conference room?”

K’lev nodded.  “An excellent idea, Launch Director,” he replied.

Barka and the other Dergan – an aide or assistant, K’lev guessed – led the way into the meeting room, followed by the Starfleet contingent, then the Ferengi.  As he passed into the room after Lotharys, though, K’lev stopped and turned to the two security officers that had accompanied himself and Lotharys from the Culver City.  “You two wait here,” he said, almost looking towards the three suddenly-confused Ferengi as he continued.  “Make sure we don’t have any uninvited guests,” he finished, with a little extra emphasis on the word ‘uninvited’.

Farvix and his two aides looked stunned.  “Excuse me?!  Any meeting with the Launch Director must include a representative of DSE, by order of the Consortium!” Farvix protested angrily.

K’lev looked at Farvix, an almost-bemused expression on his face.  “Not this one,” he said simply, then closed the door.  The two officers then closed ranks in front of the door, effectively barring the Ferengi from entry.

Once the room was secure and the principals for the meeting – K’lev and Lotharys representing Starfleet, and Barka and his aide representing the Dergans – were seated, K’lev spoke.  “Apologies for my rudeness, but I needed to be sure that we could speak freely, and we couldn’t with that DSE rep in the room.”

Barka nodded, releasing a breath.  “Thank you, commander; I’m not sure I could’ve done that…”

K’lev smiled.  “You’re quite welcome,” he said, leaning forward.  “So, we had a request forwarded to us from Captain Tyler on the Blythe, that you needed a few extra pieces of rather specialized hardware,” he produced a small PADD, sliding it across the table.  “Might this fit the bill?”

Barka took the PADD, reading it; when he looked up and slid the PADD back, his eyes were wet with grateful tears.  “This….  This is….  It’s perfect, commander; thank you!  On behalf of all Dergans, thank you!”

K’lev accepted the PADD back, tucking it away.  “They’re all ready to go; is everything ready on this end?”

Barka nodded, still trying to compose himself.  “Yes, it is… wait, ‘they’?”

K’lev’s smile widened, and in answer he simply held up 2 fingers.  Barka’s eyes widened.  “Are you…?” he managed to whisper.

“Absolutely.  And we’ll provide some personnel to train your people on them, as well as make sure they’re not misused or… appropriated.” K’lev replied. He then nodded to Lotharys, who tapped her combadge.  “Lotharys to Culver City.  Go ahead and send that extra shipment.”

“It’s on the way,” came Tiza’s voice.

Barka and his aide both stood, followed by K’lev and Lotharys.  The launch director came around the table, hoof-hand outstretched; the two Starfleet officers both shook it, one at a time.  “Thank you both, again.”

K’lev offered a smile, while Lotharys answered “You’re welcome!  We’re happy to help.”

With that, and with Barka having regained his composure, the quartet exited the room.  Farvix immediately came back over.   “As the duly appointed representative of DSE and the CFT, I demand that you tell me what you discussed in there, in violation of the terms of our service contract!”

“We were discussing a need of some specialized medical supplies.  Supplies that, quite frankly, you can’t provide,” K’lev lied.  “I’m afraid that’s all you’re allowed to know; patient privacy is vital, after all.”

Fortunately, the Ferengi’s wounded pride deafened him to the lie, and he bought it at face value.  K’lev, Lotharys, and their security escorts then left the government building, before beaming back to the Culver City.