"Arriving at Deep Space Nine," Ensign Kalvin reported from the helm. He had a small bandage on his head from a small cut he had received during the battle with the Wellington.
"Very well." Garek swiveled the chair to look to the different stations. Commander Kelly was also on duty. The other senior officers must have crept off to get some sleep. Garek checked the chronometer above the viewscreen, and sure enough it was around 0200 hours. "Open a communications channel to the station."
"Opening channel." Kelly graugily reached for the communications panel and keyed in a few buttons.
"Deep Space Nine, this is the USS Arizona. We are requesting permission to dock." There was a long pause, and finally a reply.
[USS Arizona, this is Deep Space Nine. You have clearence to dock on the docking ring, port 3. Deep Space Nine out.]
"Short and sweet," Kelly commented.
"Indeed," Garek replied. "Hopefully this won't take that long. I've got some serious things to work on with this ship. Especially the inertial dampners." Garek feld his body being pushed slightly back in his seat as Ensign Kalvin thrust full forward. Garek raised an eyebrow at him.
"Sorry sir, couldn't refuse." Kalvin half smiled.
Garek rolled his eyes, and watched the viewer as the Arizona docked with the station. Indicator lights on Kalvin's panel changed from red to green as status indicators indicated a hard dock to the station. Garek rose from his seat. "Kelly, send a message to Commander Wallace that we have docked with DS9. Next thing, raise Commander Nevar and tell him that we've docked. Have him make sure that the prisoners are transferred over to DS9. We don't need the extra ballast.
"Ballast?" Kalvin asked.
"I'll explain it to you later Mike."
[Wallace to Loran.]
"Loran here sir."
[Garek,] Wallace said, graugily. [Make sure the ship is secure, then you can work out a shore leave roster for off duty personnel. No more then a third of the crew at a time. I need people here to fix this crate so we can go home.]
"Understood sir. What shift do you wanna be on?" Garek grinned.
[This one, right now. I have some debts to collect from a certain Ferengi. I just hope he hasn't skipped town.]
"Aye aye sir. Garek out." Garek grinned. There could be only one Ferengi that Rich was talking about. Garek rose from the captain's chair, and took a step down off of the small pedestal. "I'm going forward to the docking port to open the air lock. Vince, you're in charge here until Commander Wallace relieves you."
"Of course Commander." Kelly switched off a few ship's functions as they switched over to an umbilical from DS9.
Garek slid down one of the ladders that connected the decks of the Arizona. Sometimes taking the ladders was quicker then using the turbolifts. Garek walked forward to the front bay, and looked at the door at the end of the hallway. The indicators above the door glowed green, indicating they had a safe airway. Garek opened the door to the Arizona. He then walked in to the transparent tube to the second door, and then to the third which opened in to the station. The corridor lights were dimmed. Clearly, this wasn't the promenade. Having never been to Deep Space Nine, Garek was anxious to explore the station made famous in the Dominion War.
Garek walked up to a wall panel, and accessed it. The panel lit up, indicating his current position on the station, along with a map of the station. Garek quickly memorized the map, and followed the quickest course to the promenade. As the final airlock door between corridors opened, the Promenade of Deep Space Nine came into view. Storefronts were open, with station inhabitants hustling and bustling to buy the items they were looking for.
As he walked the halls, he noticed some of the famous shops on the promenade. One stuck out. Quark's Bar. Garek walked through the entry archway and in to the busy establishment. Many different people were in the bar. Some were playing dabo, some coming from the holosuites above, and still others were enjoying some drinks at their tables. Garek took a seat at the bar, and looked around.
"What'll you have stranger?" asked a Ferengi. He wore the clothing of a wealthy merchant, and had the smile of one to match it.
"Good question," Garek replied. "What's the house specialty?"
"The Sumerian Sunset is always a favorite around here, but there's many others."
"The Sumerian Sunset sounds fine. One of those."
"Alright." The Ferengi reached under the counter for a few bottles. "And how will we be paying tonight? Latinum? Starfleet Credit?"
Realizing that he didn't have any latinum strips on him, Garek reached into the cargo pocket of his engineer's uniform pants. "Federation credit." Garek brought the PADD up to counter level, and punched in a few commands. An interface popped up that prompted for the transfer account number. "Now it's your part."
The Ferengi rotated the PADD on the countertop and punched in his name and account number and hit the "Transfer" button. Garek read the PADD while it was upside down, and was able to pick up the name Quark. "So you're the infamous Quark?"
"The one and only," Quark replied with a smile. "I see my name and prestige have reached you ship."
"Kind of. You were in Jon Valdago's business records."
"You knew Jon Valdago?" Quark asked.
"Oh, of course. I'm the executor of his business onboard Supply Base 901."
"Executor? Jon hasn't died has he?"
"Well, honestly we don't know. Long story."
"Indeed." Quark gave a small sigh. Probably not for Jon's death, but for the business that will be lost because of his disappearence. "Well, your credit transfer went through."
"Excellent," Garek replied. He watched as Quark made the drink. A glimpse of another officer entering the bar caught his eye. It was Commander Wallace followed by Lieutenant Nugent. The two entered, and took seats next to Garek. Garek watched as Nugent sat on the other side of Rich. He could sense her feelings, and her attention to Commander Wallace. "Thank you Quark." The Ferengi nodded in reply. "Commander, Counselor. I'm going to go mix and mingle. Give you two your privacy." He made his way in to the crowd. Wallace gave Garek a confused look and then Le'Chell another look. She quickly turned her attention to Quark and asked for a drink list.