SMST: Deep Space Moon! – By DS Wynne
Disclaimer: SM, R1/2, ST and other genres belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Special Note: This story takes place during Seasons 1 through 3 of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine". "The Ranma Trek Chronicles" takes place during Seasons 4 through 7.
Author's Note: This story is designed to be short, and will focus mostly on Sailor Moon, though Ranma Saotome (of "Ranma ½") will make a cameo from time-to-time. As always, C&C are welcomed.
Part 9
As Q circles around Sisko with his fist in the air, Quark turns towards Usagi.
"So, your father is a member of the Q Continuum, huh?" asked the Ferengi.
"Yes, he is," Usagi said with a sigh.
"You seem to get your personality from your mother side, I bet," said Vash. "Say, I could use a partner in future endeavors…"
"No, Vash," Usagi replied. "And no, Quark."
"But I didn't say anything…yet," Quark said in half-protest.
"Well, you wanted to settle this?" Q said. "Well, we can."
With that, Q began to punch Sisko in the face repeatedly, although Sisko merely rolled with the punches.
"Father!" Usagi said. "Stop that!"
"I owe him one for treating my little girl badly," Q said, as he took another wing at Sisko.
"Whatever," Sisko said, as he blocks the intended blow, before knocking Q off his feet.
"Father!" Usagi said, as she goes to her father's side…
"I think we have a winner," Quark said with a grin, as he motions towards Vash. "You can take my winnings from your share of the profits, Vash."
"Humph!" Vash said with annoyance.
"You hit me!" Q whined. "Picard never hits me. In fact, you hit like my son-in-law."
"I'm not Picard, and Ranma Saotome was one of my instructors," Q said with a smirk.
"I see," Q grinned mischievously. "This fact will prove to be most…fortuitous, for ME."
With that, Q disappears in a flash of light.
"Father!" Usagi called out. "Dang it!"
"You and I have much to discuss about your dad, Counselor," Sisko said, as he wiped the sweat from his brow.
"Aye, sir," Usagi lamented. She hates having to clean up after her father, whenever he screws around with her commanding officers…
As the day goes by, the systematic power failures throughout the station continues. In fact, they were increasing exponentially.
"I'm picking stress fractures throughout the station," Chief O'Brien said, as he looks at the monitors. He then turns towards Usagi.
"Can't you tell your old man to knock it off?"
"Miles, I told you that these problems are not Q's fault," Usagi said, as she helped Dax on focusing the sensor on the unusual energy patterns Dax had picked up earlier.
"And how do you know that, Counselor?" Sisko asked.
"My father may be cruel, unreliable, incompetent and a general menace to the Alpha Quadrant, but he's been on 'probation' for a while now with the Q Continuum. I doubt that would be behind these shenanigans."
"Well, whoever or whatever is the source of the problem, we're getting hull ruptures all over the station," O'Brien said.
"Dax, have you discovered anything unusual before or after the mishaps?" Sisko asked.
"Let's see," Dax said. "So far, just before a systemic failure, there is a burst of graviton particles."
Pause.
"Similar to what happened on our runabout in the Gamma Quadrant."
"And the problem started when we picked up Vash," Usagi said. "Call this a hunch, but I think we need to inspect her possessions."
"You think she might have brought something on board?" Kira asked.
"Did we inspect anything that she had brought along with us?"
"Point taking."
"Then I want you and Constable Odo to investigate the matter further," Sisko replied. "If Dr. Vash did bring something back with her that could pose a threat to the station, I want it neutralized immediately."
"Yes, sir," Usagi said, as she tapped her com-badge to hail Odo…
After meeting with the shape-shifter, he and Usagi went on their separate ways: Odo to talk to Quark, and Usagi to find Vash. According to Usagi's contacts (i.e. Garak the Tailor), Vash plans on auctioning off some of her findings from the Gamma Quadrant, with the help of Quark as the facilitator. However, upon finding the rogue archeologist, Usagi saw Vash in a withered, diseased state.
"Vash!" Usagi said, as she goes over to help Vash up to her feet. "It's okay, I'll get you to Sickbay-"
"N-no, don't," Vash managed to say. "I…I don't need help!"
"What happened?" Usagi asked.
"Your father got angry at me for rejecting him, and attempted to demonstrate what would have happened if he wasn't around."
"Father!" Usagi yelled.
"Yes, little bunny?" Q said, as he materialized.
"Restore Dr. Vash to normal," Odo said.
"I listen to talking mounds of jello," Q scoffed.
"Father, please," Usagi said.
Q wanted to retort but relented under his daughter's disapproving glare…
"Fine," Q said, as he snapped his fingers.
With flash of light later, Vash was restored to her prime state.
"Thank you, Father," Usagi said.
"You should have allowed me to punish dear Vash for ingratitude, my child, as you will soon learn," Q said, as he disappears in a flash of light.
"Thanks," Vash said, as she straightens herself up. "Now, if you can excuse me-"
"Vash, I'm here to ask you to post-pone your auction so that your artifacts can be inspected," Usagi said. "We believe that you might have brought something back from the Gamma Quadrant, which could be a threat to the station."
"I see," Vash said. "Unfortunately, I don't have the artifacts with me."
"Where are they?"
"The Ferengi Auction House has them. And before you say anything else, Quark is not in charge of it."
"And he's just the facilitator," Usagi said.
"So, unless you are willing to buy my stuff from the House, neither you nor I can do anything about it," Vash said. "See ya…"
And with that, Vash leaves to attend the auction.
"See?" Q said in a disembodied voice. "See how ungrateful Vash is?"
"Father, be quiet," Usagi replied. "If money is the only thing that can solve this fiasco, then I know just who I need to speak to…"
Ten minutes later…
"PLEASE?" Usagi cried, as she begged her sister-in-law. "I need access to my accounts."
"Usagi, when you and Ranma-baby made me your personal money manager, you two gave ME explicit instructions not to loan you any money beyond what you normally make on frivolous spending," Nabiki Kuno said with a smirk. When she's not running the clandestine Federation agency "Section 31", she dabbles in economic ventures, such as managing a "seat" on the Ferengi Stock Exchange, managing the powerful Mishima Zaibatsu and its various holdings throughout the Federation, managing the benevolent charity organization known as the Phoenix Foundation, and managing the criminal organization known as the Orion Syndicate. Some would say that Nabiki was ethically-challenged for playing both sides of the rule of law, as well as owning every commercial building on Earth (which she leases to other firms and businesses). And this is in spite of Earth having "no currency" and such.
On a final note on this subject, the things that Nabiki manages can be contributed to Usagi and Ranma, thanks to their past exploits and misadventures…
"Nabiki, this IS important," Usagi said. "Just before you called, the problem that we're facing this station has escalating. Whatever is causing the graviton waves is now pushing the station towards the Bajoran Wormhole."
"I see," Nabiki said, as she turns to look at a document. She mumbles something while reading the document, and then turns towards Usagi via view screen.
"Your credit line is freed up, Usagi."
"Really?" Usagi said. "What changed your mind?"
"I had your station insured recently, and if it is destroyed in its first year, I lose out on some money. I mean, the Federation loses out on its investment."
Usagi could only gawk at Nabiki in silence.
"…"
"Let me know how your auction goes. And don't forget your receipt. I might be able to write it off as a business expense."
"Er, yes, Nabiki…"
Soon, Usagi arrives at the auction bar, where the bidding was about to take place…
"Ah, Counselor, you decided to do a thesis on the psychology of business?" Quark said mockingly.
"Actually, no," Usagi said, as she presents…a Federation Express Black Card.
Quark, upon seeing it, nearly feinted. He always thought that the Federation was foolish for "officially" giving up currency-based economy. However, he heard rumors that the real capitalists and free marketers were not only still around, but they purposely made sure that everyone forgot about them. The Federation Express Black Card was a holdover of an ancient credit card company that survived the anti-capitalist purges of the 21st century, and only a few millionaires, billionaires and trillionaires surviving the purge. Since then, these men and women used these black cards to conduct their business. And the black cards—made from dark matter—are used to conduct business outside of normal Federation commerce and trade.
"You okay, Quark?" Vash asked.
"No, but I have to rethink my opinions on you hu-mons," Quark said with a smile. "Please, Counselor, this way…"
Upon successfully bidding one particular item for 10,000 bars of gold-press latinum—the currency used outside of Federation territory, due to the fact that the silvery substance, the latinum, cannot be replicated successfully—Usagi bought the orange, glowing orb.
"Thank you for doing business," Quark said with a bow. "I'll just initiate the transaction while you go over your bought item."
"Thanks," Usagi said, as she accepts the box, and opens it to reveal a glowing, orange jewel the size of an ostrich egg.
"What do you think it is?" Vash said.
"The source of our problem," Sisko said, as he, Dax and Kira enters Quark's place.
"Captain," Dax said, as she scanned the mysterious object. "The source of the energy drain and the gravitons is from this…big crystal."
"What is that?" Kira asked.
"It's a phoenix egg," Usagi said. "Came upon a flock of them while in the 'Uncharted Territories' decades ago…"
"What do you suggest we do?" Sisko asked. "The station is about to be destroyed."
"We release it, of course."
"Sisko to Ops," Sisko said, as he placed his badge unto the box of containing the crystal egg. "Beam my com-badge, and what is connected to it, out of Quark's, and into space."
Once O'Brien locked onto the com-badge and box containing the egg, it was beamed outside…
"Look!" Kira said, as she pointed to the space firebird, as it hatched and flew around a bit before entering the wormhole for home.
"Impressive," Sisko said.
"Fascinating," Dax said.
"Beautiful," Vash said. "This is originally why I went into archeology, so that I can see such amazing sights out here."
"My card," Usagi said, as she gave Vash her business card. "If you ever need to talk to someone…"
"I'll let you know."
A few days later, at Quark's…
"Do you have to go, Father?" Usagi asked.
"I have to go, little bunny," Q said, as he hugged his daughter. He then glared at Vash.
"I know when I'm not wanted."
"I just need some time to relax," Vash said, as she took a sip of her drink. "Besides, I'm serious about going back to the Daystrom Institute to conduct a seminar on my experience in the Gamma Quadrant."
"Well, if you DO change your mind, you know how to contact me."
With that, Q disappears in a flash of light.
"Counselor, Vash, I have a proposal for you two," Quark said, as he presents a PADD to the two of them.
"No thanks, Quark," Usagi said. "I've already spent my 'allowance' for the year."
"And I'm retired from tomb raiding," Vash said.
"Okay, okay," Quark said. "If you don't want to retrieve an artifact from the Tarsus Star System…"
"Wait, isn't Tarsus under quarantine?" Vash asked.
"It was…for a limited time," Quark said. "And if I had some…seed money-"
"I'll accept," Vash said. She then turns towards Usagi.
"Please give me some seed money. I'll give you a nice cut at the profits, and all…"
"And here I was hoping that you were making some progress," Usagis said, as she shook her head in disappointment.
Tbc.
Next Time: Dax is put on trial, but the truth could get Usagi in trouble! See you next time…