Nikki had been down on Serenity's surface dropping off and arranging several cargo runs and had just scored a great deal on black box licenses, publishing rights, vids all that were high demand low transport cost the only problem is that they were time sensitive and started a bidding war between publishing houses and annuities brokers and she needed to lift in less then two hours since they'd locked the market down and froze everything... She also had a load of plastics being unloaded from the Yukon Corp.
She sat at the bar and sipped the Jasmine wine and listened to the talk around her while she made a to do list on the coaster of the drink.
The planetary air raid siren sounded, people immediately headed for the exits while the bartender turned up the sound on the tube so everyone could listen to the news flash... "Just in... breaking story..."
Nicole sat back and watched and fiddled with her personal comp while listening... she'd picked up some interesting tidbits about intrigue going on on Deep Space 9 and the Bajorans, and she'd picked up information about the Mullurians and the offer of contracts for a great deal of currency for anyone willing to run munitions and supplies to their fleet. The bar was almost empty and since she wasn't a ground pounder and her ship, the Raven, was still being unloaded on the docks, sat with her feet in the empty chair and waited.
Finally, she paid the barkeep and headed back to her assigned landing area on the strip and saw several marines holding high energy pulse weapons at the base of her ramp. Her load was on its way she could see to the warehouses. She took out her personal pc and made sure the dock authority had correctly notated this delivery and that payment was made. She then saw the notice that all ships were grounded until further clearance by port authorities.
Nicole continued walking but keyed in a quick message to Yukon HQ and a separate one to Ash at the Information Station on Sb901 that she'd be... late for dinner.
"Ma'am," the Marine said, "the dock master would like to have a few words with you on the alpha band.
"Really? Why would that be?" She shoved her pc and her hands in her pockets and stood with the weight on the back leg and the front one just lightly resting on the tarmac... in a cocky insolent posture. She was armed, and yes, she did have some contraband items onboard as she had plans to make a trade run into Cardassia when she went to the DS9 side. But these guys didn't act like they'd placed her under arrest or confiscated her ship.
The Marine whose name was Neales stenciled above his pocket over his heart took a half step to the right so that she could board. "The PA will be here in one minute."
Nicole stepped inside and checked the security access panel just inside the door and saw that everything was still green and in the mid day heat shucked off her leather bomber jacket and leaned against the jam of the hatch. "What's the drill?" Nicole asked watching a fast moving vehicle approaching.
"Not my job to say, Ma'am." The marine grunted, also noting the arrival of the hoverbus.
The bus came to a stop and a woman wearing SFMC duty uniform stepped out and the Marines stationed around the Raven nodded briefly in recognition and stood at ease. "Ms. Shea, I need a moment of your time and then you will be cleared for launch." The older woman watched the young flaming redhead approach and when they were in arms reach and shielded by the bus and the winds picking up and almost drowning out her words, said, "There is a crisis and the government is in need of your help. You are contracted to take one hundred and fifty children and ten adults to DS9 -- at your top speed."
"I'm doing this out of the kindness of my heart... I don't think so; Ashton Liteboughlt would have my ass," she said crossing her arms over her chest and laughing, her eyes glittering and faint laugh lines around the eyes and mouth.
The older woman looked her in the eyes and then said, "You'll be given standard reimbursement from the Government per contractual agreement. We've got emergency supplies and loading needs to begin immediately!"
"I am not responsible for any snot nosed kids..." she said, her words faded in the wind as the horde of screaming kids and keepers broke from the bus and raced for her ship. "Stop them! I can't transport children and certainly not this many if I would... I'm not doing this!"
"You have no choice!" The two marines at the base of the ramp are qualified with the flight systems and will take over according to military law under these emergency conditions.
Nicole stood her ground and then chased after the last of the kids as they headed up the ramp... "Hey, don't touch that!" she yelled and knew that there was no way she could round up and get them off her ship and she knew the military would do as they threatened. She headed for the cockpit and started her prelift check off and saw trouble lights -- minor ones -- coming on in the holds; probably the damn children playing with shit. She sealed and put the forcefield up around the cockpit and triggered the canister of Anesthezine gas and gave it a good two minutes to circulate through the ship before she lifted and broke for orbit and programming the fastest route to DS9.
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