Chapter 2
The world according to Timan Raylan slowly stired him into consciousness. He opened his eyes and found the world swimming sickeningly. After closing his eyes again for a moment or two, he tried again. This time the world behaved more predicably and stayed still. Except it wasn't quite still. He found himself lying on his back, staring up at the cloudy night sky and the buildings passing him. As he turned his head slightly to one side, he realised he was being carried along - going headfirst - on an anti-grav device. He also noted two Ferengi walking along each side of him. He flexed his hands enough to realise he was being restrained. Doing the same with his legs produced the same result. Clearly he wasn't going to be able to get up and run any time soon.
But that didn't stop him from trying to find a way to escape. He saw it as the job of every prisoner to try and escape, whatever the reason for imprisonment. Well, maybe not every prisoner. Himself, certainly. He tried to look around as much as possible while moving as little as possible. He thought he was doing quite well until one of the Ferengi spoke without looking at him.
"You can look but you can't escape. The only way you could go anywhere is if you take off those restraints. And the only way you'll get those restraints off is to amputate your hands and feet. And that, I think, would make it a little tricky to run." It was only then that the one on Timan's right looked down at him and grinned a typically toothy Ferengi grin.
He had no idea how long he'd been out for but it couldn't have been too long, he figured. If they'd had to go too far then they would have taken proper transport. He was trying to make a 'guesstimation' as they stopped in the street. His two captors were having a rather animated discussion, but since Timan couldn't understand Ferengi - and having no universal translator on him - he had no idea what they were talking about.
They finally seemed to come to some kind of an agreement and moved off again. But instead of continuing down the street, they turned to Timan's left and into a building, pausing only to unlock and open the double doors. With the doors relocked behind them, they moved on to what Timan assumed was a backroom. It was at that time that Timan started to get a little worried.
"Hey, what are you taking me here for? This doesn't look like a police building to me." The parts of the building he'd seen were almost completely devoid of furniture, and the furniture he could see seemed to have been abandoned there. There wasn't much dust around, though, so it was probably used for something, thought Timan. He wasn't sure if he wanted to find out just what they *did* use it for.
"I said what...."
"I know what you said, and if you don't shut up I'll vaporise your head." The Ferengi that had spoken to him before pointed a phaser at his head. Timan shut up. He was much more used to Ferengis that screamed in their typically high-pitched way and ran from any sign of trouble. These kinds of Ferengis were definitely no fun to be around.
The two Ferengis appeared to then pick up the conversation where they left off outside. Timan watched with keen interest. Maybe they'd pull phasers on each other. But if that happened, they might vaporise each other, and his chance of getting out of these restraints would equally disappear.
The conversation soon developed into an argument as they began pushing each other around. Suddenly, the Ferengi that had spoken to Timan - who, he suddenly realised, was quite tall for a Ferengi - drew his phaser again, pointed it at his partner and vaporised him.
"Whoa," was all Timan could find to say. His mouth went dry as the remaining guard turned to Timan and looked down at him. But instead of vaporising him, he knelt down and - to Timan's amazement - removed the restraints.
But he'd been alive too long and seen too many things to trust anybody too quickly, so he just laid there, without getting up.
"Come on, on your feet, I'm sure you could do with a stretch," his once-captor said as he made his way to the front door and peered out through a spy-hole.
And then something occurred to him. Since being on Ferenginar, he'd heard Ferengis talk in English, and without the aid of a Universal Translator, their English had always been heavily accented. But not this one. This one spoke in perfect English.
Timan sat up, flexing his wrists and enjoying his newfound freedom. He still didn't know what to make of his new best friend, but he had to find out. He waited until he came back into the room. But before he could do more than open his mouth, his Ferengi friend spoke first.
"You're a hard man to track down, Timan Raylan. I've spent over a week looking for you. Just when I thought I had you cornered, the trail went cold. Mind you, I had to keep this disguise and not blow my cover at the same time."
"So ... just who the hell are you, then? If you're not a Ferengi then who - and what - are you? And why are you interested in me? And how do you know my name?" Now he was really confused, although the reason for the accent-free English was starting to become apparent.
"Who I am is not important. But if you want a name then you can call me Bob."
"Bob? You're not a man with great imagination, are you?" Bob ignored the jibe and continued.
"You're right, I'm not a Ferengi - I'm human. I'm also from Starfleet, here to rescue your pathetic hide and take you back to Earth."
"Really?" Timan was truly happy since perhaps he first set foot on this miserable planet. "But why would Starfleet want to rescue me? It's not like I'm a member of Starfleet or anybody important."
"You're right again, you're not important. You'd be a complete nobody if it weren't for the fact that the public back on Earth found out a few Humans were trapped here thanks to the Civil War, and wanted them back. So Starfleet sent a secret mission to Ferenginar to retrieve those citizens. And you, my slippery little friend, are the last one; the others have returned home already."
"So I'm finally getting out of this swamp and going home!" He had stood up by now and was getting ready to celebrate, when his new pal brought him back down to earth with a crashing thud.
"Don't get too excited, buddy. You're not going home to freedom, you're going home to finish your sentence." He smirked as he saw the look of utter shock and disappointment engulf Timan's face.
"What you're going to do," continued Bob, "is lay back down on the anti-grav sled. I'll put the restraints back on your wrists and ankles, because I don't trust that you won't try and escape. I'll then take you to my shuttle and be off, hopefully before anyone takes any notice."
"But what if we run into any Ferengis?"
"Then I'll just tell them I'm taking you away for interrogation."
Timan nodded. The plan seemed okay. Besides, that's probably what he'd done with the others, and they all apparently left the planet okay. So Timan laid back down on the anti-grav sled and allowed Bob to put the restraints back on his wrists and ankles, with advice to not try and escape.
"By the way, exactly where is your shuttle, anyway?" Timan asked. He was more curious than anything else, but he also realised it would be nice to know where it was in case something happened to Bob along the way, or he found an opportunity to escape.
Bob glanced at him a moment before answering. "If you're simply dying to know then it's in the western sector of the city, about three kilometres from here, near the marketplace."
Timan nodded his approval; he knew the place. There was a small almost-disused shuttle landing pad near there. The marketplace wasn't the famous Sacred Marketplace - which was in the centre of the city - but a small one that seemed to mostly contain smugglers, thieves and pickpockets. The landing pad itself was infrequently used and partially overgrown, and it's the one he would have picked. "I take it it's a Ferengi shuttle?"
"Well it wouldn't be a Federation shuttle, now would it? Now shut up and get on the sled."
With him in place, Bob pulled the sled out of the rather dingy building and set off in the direction of their waiting shuttle. It was still raining and the night air was cold enough to make their breaths visible. Timan shivered, wishing he could wrap his arms around himself, and hoping they would get to the shuttle quickly and easily.
After covering approximately half the distance, Timan heard Bob swear quietly. Timan lifted his head a little to see two Ferengi military personnel walking towards them, both with phaser rifles slung over their shoulders. As they got closer, though, the rifles came off their shoulders and pointed directly at Bob.
"Oh marvellous," said Timan, wishing now more than ever that he didn't have the restraints on.
The world according to Timan Raylan slowly stired him into consciousness. He opened his eyes and found the world swimming sickeningly. After closing his eyes again for a moment or two, he tried again. This time the world behaved more predicably and stayed still. Except it wasn't quite still. He found himself lying on his back, staring up at the cloudy night sky and the buildings passing him. As he turned his head slightly to one side, he realised he was being carried along - going headfirst - on an anti-grav device. He also noted two Ferengi walking along each side of him. He flexed his hands enough to realise he was being restrained. Doing the same with his legs produced the same result. Clearly he wasn't going to be able to get up and run any time soon.
But that didn't stop him from trying to find a way to escape. He saw it as the job of every prisoner to try and escape, whatever the reason for imprisonment. Well, maybe not every prisoner. Himself, certainly. He tried to look around as much as possible while moving as little as possible. He thought he was doing quite well until one of the Ferengi spoke without looking at him.
"You can look but you can't escape. The only way you could go anywhere is if you take off those restraints. And the only way you'll get those restraints off is to amputate your hands and feet. And that, I think, would make it a little tricky to run." It was only then that the one on Timan's right looked down at him and grinned a typically toothy Ferengi grin.
He had no idea how long he'd been out for but it couldn't have been too long, he figured. If they'd had to go too far then they would have taken proper transport. He was trying to make a 'guesstimation' as they stopped in the street. His two captors were having a rather animated discussion, but since Timan couldn't understand Ferengi - and having no universal translator on him - he had no idea what they were talking about.
They finally seemed to come to some kind of an agreement and moved off again. But instead of continuing down the street, they turned to Timan's left and into a building, pausing only to unlock and open the double doors. With the doors relocked behind them, they moved on to what Timan assumed was a backroom. It was at that time that Timan started to get a little worried.
"Hey, what are you taking me here for? This doesn't look like a police building to me." The parts of the building he'd seen were almost completely devoid of furniture, and the furniture he could see seemed to have been abandoned there. There wasn't much dust around, though, so it was probably used for something, thought Timan. He wasn't sure if he wanted to find out just what they *did* use it for.
"I said what...."
"I know what you said, and if you don't shut up I'll vaporise your head." The Ferengi that had spoken to him before pointed a phaser at his head. Timan shut up. He was much more used to Ferengis that screamed in their typically high-pitched way and ran from any sign of trouble. These kinds of Ferengis were definitely no fun to be around.
The two Ferengis appeared to then pick up the conversation where they left off outside. Timan watched with keen interest. Maybe they'd pull phasers on each other. But if that happened, they might vaporise each other, and his chance of getting out of these restraints would equally disappear.
The conversation soon developed into an argument as they began pushing each other around. Suddenly, the Ferengi that had spoken to Timan - who, he suddenly realised, was quite tall for a Ferengi - drew his phaser again, pointed it at his partner and vaporised him.
"Whoa," was all Timan could find to say. His mouth went dry as the remaining guard turned to Timan and looked down at him. But instead of vaporising him, he knelt down and - to Timan's amazement - removed the restraints.
But he'd been alive too long and seen too many things to trust anybody too quickly, so he just laid there, without getting up.
"Come on, on your feet, I'm sure you could do with a stretch," his once-captor said as he made his way to the front door and peered out through a spy-hole.
And then something occurred to him. Since being on Ferenginar, he'd heard Ferengis talk in English, and without the aid of a Universal Translator, their English had always been heavily accented. But not this one. This one spoke in perfect English.
Timan sat up, flexing his wrists and enjoying his newfound freedom. He still didn't know what to make of his new best friend, but he had to find out. He waited until he came back into the room. But before he could do more than open his mouth, his Ferengi friend spoke first.
"You're a hard man to track down, Timan Raylan. I've spent over a week looking for you. Just when I thought I had you cornered, the trail went cold. Mind you, I had to keep this disguise and not blow my cover at the same time."
"So ... just who the hell are you, then? If you're not a Ferengi then who - and what - are you? And why are you interested in me? And how do you know my name?" Now he was really confused, although the reason for the accent-free English was starting to become apparent.
"Who I am is not important. But if you want a name then you can call me Bob."
"Bob? You're not a man with great imagination, are you?" Bob ignored the jibe and continued.
"You're right, I'm not a Ferengi - I'm human. I'm also from Starfleet, here to rescue your pathetic hide and take you back to Earth."
"Really?" Timan was truly happy since perhaps he first set foot on this miserable planet. "But why would Starfleet want to rescue me? It's not like I'm a member of Starfleet or anybody important."
"You're right again, you're not important. You'd be a complete nobody if it weren't for the fact that the public back on Earth found out a few Humans were trapped here thanks to the Civil War, and wanted them back. So Starfleet sent a secret mission to Ferenginar to retrieve those citizens. And you, my slippery little friend, are the last one; the others have returned home already."
"So I'm finally getting out of this swamp and going home!" He had stood up by now and was getting ready to celebrate, when his new pal brought him back down to earth with a crashing thud.
"Don't get too excited, buddy. You're not going home to freedom, you're going home to finish your sentence." He smirked as he saw the look of utter shock and disappointment engulf Timan's face.
"What you're going to do," continued Bob, "is lay back down on the anti-grav sled. I'll put the restraints back on your wrists and ankles, because I don't trust that you won't try and escape. I'll then take you to my shuttle and be off, hopefully before anyone takes any notice."
"But what if we run into any Ferengis?"
"Then I'll just tell them I'm taking you away for interrogation."
Timan nodded. The plan seemed okay. Besides, that's probably what he'd done with the others, and they all apparently left the planet okay. So Timan laid back down on the anti-grav sled and allowed Bob to put the restraints back on his wrists and ankles, with advice to not try and escape.
"By the way, exactly where is your shuttle, anyway?" Timan asked. He was more curious than anything else, but he also realised it would be nice to know where it was in case something happened to Bob along the way, or he found an opportunity to escape.
Bob glanced at him a moment before answering. "If you're simply dying to know then it's in the western sector of the city, about three kilometres from here, near the marketplace."
Timan nodded his approval; he knew the place. There was a small almost-disused shuttle landing pad near there. The marketplace wasn't the famous Sacred Marketplace - which was in the centre of the city - but a small one that seemed to mostly contain smugglers, thieves and pickpockets. The landing pad itself was infrequently used and partially overgrown, and it's the one he would have picked. "I take it it's a Ferengi shuttle?"
"Well it wouldn't be a Federation shuttle, now would it? Now shut up and get on the sled."
With him in place, Bob pulled the sled out of the rather dingy building and set off in the direction of their waiting shuttle. It was still raining and the night air was cold enough to make their breaths visible. Timan shivered, wishing he could wrap his arms around himself, and hoping they would get to the shuttle quickly and easily.
After covering approximately half the distance, Timan heard Bob swear quietly. Timan lifted his head a little to see two Ferengi military personnel walking towards them, both with phaser rifles slung over their shoulders. As they got closer, though, the rifles came off their shoulders and pointed directly at Bob.
"Oh marvellous," said Timan, wishing now more than ever that he didn't have the restraints on.