Star Trek Hunter
Rock of Ages
Scene 6: The Prime Directive
.
6
The Prime Directive
.
"You cannot do that!"
.
Captain Elizabeth Shelby leapt out of her chair and turned to leave.
.
"STOP!"
.
Very few people had such a powerful voice that they could engage Shelby's involuntary reflexes. Apparently Brack, the elderly ferengi lawyer, had just the right combination of volume, pitch, and unquestioned authority that would cause even the most headstrong human to freeze in their tracks.
Shelby whirled, instantly furious - even more furious with herself for having been momentarily intimidated by a lawyer - and a ferengi lawyer at that. She turned her full fury on the elderly ferengi. "You have no authority to give orders on my ship!"
The sneer on Brack's ugly, elderly face only grew wider and more smug. He was holding a reader - she had no idea where it had come from. "According to this, I do. This is a Cease-and-Desist order, prophylactically enjoined against Star Fleet in the person of its officers assigned to the Al Semora star system… prohibiting you from interfering with legally authorized scientific investigations to be conducted on behalf of my client. This order comes from Tribunal Justice Cisl Mreek."
"Give me that!" Shelby ordered.
Brack dutifully handed the reader to Shelby's first officer, Commander Jingfei Irons. The partially vulcan first officer, in turn, handed the reader to her captain.
Shelby pressed a control on the reader, in response to which, the piggy face of the most famous tellerite in the Federation appeared - Justice Cisl Mreek - infamous for her dark humor and violently short temper.
Someone had long ago provided Justice Mreek her own titanium gavel and block because of her tendency to break hammers and shatter blocks - creating a shrapnel hazard to anyone within range of the flying splinters. Not that the titanium gavel and block were a tremendous improvement… Rumors persisted of hearing damage from the noise and at least one judicial podium that had been briefly ignited by the sparks.
.
"This order is enjoined on Stardate 43117.6 prophylactically against Star Fleet to prevent illegal interference with lawful scientific investigation and experiments to be conducted by the Ferengi Merchant Ship Usotro, under the command of Damon Trock, in the Al Semora system on the asteroid known locally as Horohondra's Object. I know who Star Fleet has assigned to this mission, Captain Elizabeth Shelby. This means you. I have a set of Star Fleet issue, solid platinum thumbscrews. Do not make me use them. Mreek out!"
.
Shelby's face nearly had nearly turned purple while listening. She knew Justice Mreek well, having argued cases in her courtroom. There was no doubt in her mind the person in this recording was none other than the infamous tellerite, Justice Cisl Mreek, but there was always the remote possibility that this could have been forged. She handed the reader to her first officer. "Verify this!"
Commander Irons took the reader and promptly left the room.
Shelby turned her ire on Damon Trock. "What possible motive could you have for conducting scientific experiments? Where is your profit motive, ferengi?"
Damon Trock was entirely unfazed. "I am being well paid to carry out a very specific experiment on Horohondra's Object to analyze a large pocket of substrata hydrogen and dilithium running through the object. I am following specific instructions to avoid violating the 2nd Treaty of Deep Space 9 between the Ferengi Commerce Authority and your Federation, which, as you know, requires us to observe your Prime Directive in relation to protected star systems within Federation space. I always follow local laws to the letter."
Brack lightly tapped the conference table with the silver foot of his cane (actually shaped like a life-sized ferengi's bare foot.)
Shelby shot the elderly lawyer a heated look.
"Damon Trock is not my client," Brack said.
Shelby's curiosity was aroused. "Who is your client?" she asked.
"I am neither required nor authorized to disclose that information," the elderly ferengi lawyer replied.
.
Before Captain Shelby could respond, Commander Irons' calm voice interrupted via the ship's comm system: "Captain Shelby to the bridge. You might want to bring our visitors, sir…"
.
6
