CHAPTER ONE
The thirty-fourth Ferengi Rule of Acquisition is "War is good for business."
Mind you, the thirty-fifth rule is "Peace is good for business."
That tells you a lot about the Ferengi, but it also tells you a lot about war. If a people are at war, the economy may improve, at least temporarily, through panic bulk buying in case of some kind of breakdown. If this never happens it's good for the merchant. Hopefully peace, and a stable profit margin, will return soon. The point is that in wartime, people panic.
Riffel wasn't panicking. He was lying upside down in his specially customized shuttlecraft full of water, and dreamily contemplating life. Riffel was a Xindi-Aquatic, the only species of Xindi to side with the pacifist Free Coalition in the Federation Civil War. Pacifism quite suited the Aquatics, but not their cousins the Reptilians or Insectoids. Both of those species were active members of the New Federation, the Primates and Arboreals less so. But the Aquatics wanted peace, and had joined the Coalition to get it. As the first of his race to serve in the Astra Science Navy, Riffel was quite a symbol. He was happy about that, but didn't want special treatment. He'd learned to speak Federation Standard language, and tried to fit in with the crew. Not easy when you live in a glass tank most of the time.
Riffel swam over to the operations panel and hailed his ship, the Discovery. It was an Angel-class science vessel, of which he was chief of communications. His friend, an Andorian woman named Lieutenant Commander Fligi, answered the hail.
"Shuttlecraft Janeway calling Discovery."
"Discovery here. What's your status?" asked Fligi.
"Preparing to dock. Please open doors to Shuttlebay One."
"Standby."
As the small craft took an elegant curving trajectory, Riffel gazed up at the spherical primary hull. It never ceased to amaze him, this beautiful ship.
Shuttlebay One, a large facility on the front of the ship, was full of traffic. Cargo and personnel craft zoomed in and out, leaving the bay barely time to pressurize before another docking was in progress. Riffel drew in alongside the Shuttlepod Worf in the starboard end of the bay, and began to fit his hydro mask around his gills go he could get to the tank in Comms. Suddenly, Fligi appeared and knocked on the door. Riffel, grinning, finished fitting his mask and emerged.
"Hey, Riff," said the Andorian as he slid down onto the floor. "How was the conference?"
Riffel shrugged, a difficult feat for a marine creature. "Same old babble about covert transmissions. Nothing I hadn't already heard about. Bajor was nice, though. I had a lovely swim in the ocean, and found some other aquatic beings. Not Xindi, you understand, and not technological, but they were quite smart."
Fligi nodded. "Most planets have something like those. Earth has its dolphins, Andoria has its kilidit fish – I expect you Aquatics once filled that role on the Xindi homeworld, but evolved further." At this Riffel chuckled, smacking his flippers together. By this time they were out in the corridor, heading towards the turbolift. Riffel nodded to two ensigns from his department as they passed, just as Fligi said, "We have some more news about the Federation."
Riffel tensed. Any news about the rival faction made him nervous. "And?"
"They're amassing an armada," said Fligi emotionlessly. Her antennae twitched, as they always did when she was nervous. "Three ships have been assigned as a scouting party, and their heading toward the border." The pair entered the turbolift.
"Never mind, Flig," said Riffel, trying to cheer her up, while also saying, "Deck Nine" to the elevator. "I'm sure whoever we send will whip their nacelles so hard –"
"Riff!" said Fligi urgently. "It's US!"
Riffel froze. "What?"
"We're the ship second nearest the border. The Voyager-C and the Evangeline have been sent to accompany us, but – well, they've sent a corvette, a destroyer and a battleship. I'm not sure –"Fligi was almost in tears.
"Flig, it'll be fine," said Riffel, although his credibility was hurt by the fact that he was still shaking. "The Evangeline will deal with the battleship, Voyager will tackle the destroyer, and – well, we could thrash a corvette any day. We're four times the size of one!"
Fligi sniffed, and looked up. "You think so?"
"I know so," smiled the Aquatic. The lift stopped, and Riff got out. "See you in the mess hall after the shift," he said.
As he was leaving, Fligi said, "Thank you, Riffel."
He turned his head. "Any time."
The thirty-fourth Ferengi Rule of Acquisition is "War is good for business."
Mind you, the thirty-fifth rule is "Peace is good for business."
That tells you a lot about the Ferengi, but it also tells you a lot about war. If a people are at war, the economy may improve, at least temporarily, through panic bulk buying in case of some kind of breakdown. If this never happens it's good for the merchant. Hopefully peace, and a stable profit margin, will return soon. The point is that in wartime, people panic.
Riffel wasn't panicking. He was lying upside down in his specially customized shuttlecraft full of water, and dreamily contemplating life. Riffel was a Xindi-Aquatic, the only species of Xindi to side with the pacifist Free Coalition in the Federation Civil War. Pacifism quite suited the Aquatics, but not their cousins the Reptilians or Insectoids. Both of those species were active members of the New Federation, the Primates and Arboreals less so. But the Aquatics wanted peace, and had joined the Coalition to get it. As the first of his race to serve in the Astra Science Navy, Riffel was quite a symbol. He was happy about that, but didn't want special treatment. He'd learned to speak Federation Standard language, and tried to fit in with the crew. Not easy when you live in a glass tank most of the time.
Riffel swam over to the operations panel and hailed his ship, the Discovery. It was an Angel-class science vessel, of which he was chief of communications. His friend, an Andorian woman named Lieutenant Commander Fligi, answered the hail.
"Shuttlecraft Janeway calling Discovery."
"Discovery here. What's your status?" asked Fligi.
"Preparing to dock. Please open doors to Shuttlebay One."
"Standby."
As the small craft took an elegant curving trajectory, Riffel gazed up at the spherical primary hull. It never ceased to amaze him, this beautiful ship.
Shuttlebay One, a large facility on the front of the ship, was full of traffic. Cargo and personnel craft zoomed in and out, leaving the bay barely time to pressurize before another docking was in progress. Riffel drew in alongside the Shuttlepod Worf in the starboard end of the bay, and began to fit his hydro mask around his gills go he could get to the tank in Comms. Suddenly, Fligi appeared and knocked on the door. Riffel, grinning, finished fitting his mask and emerged.
"Hey, Riff," said the Andorian as he slid down onto the floor. "How was the conference?"
Riffel shrugged, a difficult feat for a marine creature. "Same old babble about covert transmissions. Nothing I hadn't already heard about. Bajor was nice, though. I had a lovely swim in the ocean, and found some other aquatic beings. Not Xindi, you understand, and not technological, but they were quite smart."
Fligi nodded. "Most planets have something like those. Earth has its dolphins, Andoria has its kilidit fish – I expect you Aquatics once filled that role on the Xindi homeworld, but evolved further." At this Riffel chuckled, smacking his flippers together. By this time they were out in the corridor, heading towards the turbolift. Riffel nodded to two ensigns from his department as they passed, just as Fligi said, "We have some more news about the Federation."
Riffel tensed. Any news about the rival faction made him nervous. "And?"
"They're amassing an armada," said Fligi emotionlessly. Her antennae twitched, as they always did when she was nervous. "Three ships have been assigned as a scouting party, and their heading toward the border." The pair entered the turbolift.
"Never mind, Flig," said Riffel, trying to cheer her up, while also saying, "Deck Nine" to the elevator. "I'm sure whoever we send will whip their nacelles so hard –"
"Riff!" said Fligi urgently. "It's US!"
Riffel froze. "What?"
"We're the ship second nearest the border. The Voyager-C and the Evangeline have been sent to accompany us, but – well, they've sent a corvette, a destroyer and a battleship. I'm not sure –"Fligi was almost in tears.
"Flig, it'll be fine," said Riffel, although his credibility was hurt by the fact that he was still shaking. "The Evangeline will deal with the battleship, Voyager will tackle the destroyer, and – well, we could thrash a corvette any day. We're four times the size of one!"
Fligi sniffed, and looked up. "You think so?"
"I know so," smiled the Aquatic. The lift stopped, and Riff got out. "See you in the mess hall after the shift," he said.
As he was leaving, Fligi said, "Thank you, Riffel."
He turned his head. "Any time."