Crewman Annamae Barberra - Rule 647
Wil Ukinix
((Barberra’s Apartment - Level 2, “Backspace” Fortune Teller, Merchant District))
Looking around her basic, converted, above-a-fortune-teller’s-shop apartment that she was proud of, Annamae knew should say things like “lucky I wasn’t on Idrustix” after the happenings
there.
The truth was, that being attacked by drones that were launched from satellites owned by giant purple birds sounded completely strange and one of the reasons she was starting to warm to being in Starfleet more and more. And she really did wish she had gone to the bacteria planet.
She was looking in her holomirror, preening the front of the
black and white catsuit she wore to make sure she looked good in it. Not that it mattered if she looked good or not, Bec was just a
friend person that she liked the most on the outpost alongside Commander Older Brother and Ninzo, the Ferengi owner of the fortune teller shop that she lived above.
She especially loved Ninzo because they had an argument over something trivial every day, without fail. That morning it had been about the coffee, bacon, peppermint and chilli waffles Annamae had invented for breakfast.
((Flashback – Annamae’s apartment, earlier that morning))
Ninzo: IT SMELLS LIKE A KLINGON’S FART AFTER HE’S HAD NOTHING BUT GAGH FOR THREE WEEKS!
While cooking over the newly installed stovetop, Annamae rolled her eyes and yelled back downstairs at her landlord.
Barberra: Which is why is going to TASTE DELICIOUS YOU OLD HAG!
But the Ferengi fortune teller wouldn’t stop, and yelled back up the stairs.
Ninzo: WHY ARE YOU SO WEIRD CHILD!
Annamae ignored Ninzo and kept cooking.
Barberra: ::Roll of eyes:: Ugh. She’s so annoying. ::slight wicked smirk:: No wonder I love this place.
Ninzo: WHAT DID YOU SAY?
Barberra: I said, SHUT UP OLD WOMAN OR YOU’LL GET NO BREAKFAST!
Ninzo: I DON’T WANT YOUR “BREAKFAST”!
Barberra: YES YOU DO AND YOU’LL LIKE IT!
((End Flashback))
As Annamae turned to the side to observe herself in the mirror, she heard the door chime sound as someone entered downstairs. The crewman had told Ninzo that Bec would be arriving soon, and she should expect her.
She knew it would embarrass the Human-Klingon hybrid.
That was the point.
Ninzo: Hello, my child, welcome back. Would you like me to tell your fortune? Tell you your lucky number?
Iko: ::forcing a smile:: Hi!
A wicked, evil grin crossed Annamae’s face as she listened to the conversation downstairs.
Ninzo: Are you well? Ah, will you stay well? I can tell you if you will fall ill and die young for only a few strips of latinum.
Annamae heard footsteps on the stairs.
Iko: Oh I am really quite good you know. ::gesturing upstairs:: Just grabbing your neighbour.
Ninzo: Or maybe I can tell you who you will marry! But that will cost a few extra strips. ::Calling out after Bec:: I am willing to negotiate!
Iko: ::calling to Ninzo:: Won’t be long!
Annamae hurriedly turned off the holomirror and walked over to a nearby set of drawers, to quickly open it so that it looked like she was casually looking for her bag and hadn’t been checking her appearance at all.
Iko: Hi.
Having got away with not being sprung making sure she looked foxy (which she knew she did), she casually rummaged around in the drawer.
Barberra: ::No looking up:: Oh, hey.
Iko: Uhm… You already to go?
Barberra: I’m just- ::finding bag:: - oh, there it is. ::Holding it up:: Yup. So, Lieutenant Iko, where are you taking me? Glommer and Beagle? Transporter Center 3? That bench outside for a meat smoothie?
Bec shrugged.
Iko: I don’t really care where we go…
Barberra: ::shrug:: We can just hang out here and get our fortune read. I’ll make Ninzo do it for free.
A smirk crept over Bec’s face.
Iko: We could stay in town. There’s a bar here somewhere… Saw it once on patrol.
Barberra: That divey Klingon bar? ::casual shrug:: Okay. We may have to go to Wong afterwards to inoculate us from the black plague, but-
Ninzo: YOU’LL PAY!
Barberra: ::Eye roll, before big inhale, yelling to Ninzo downstairs:: HUH?!
Ninzo: I SAID, YOU’LL PAY IF YOU WANT YOUR FORTUNE READ. MY FERENGI EARS HEARD WHAT YOU SAID, CHILD. I DON’T DO THIS FOR FREE!
Barberra: WE’RE NOT STAYING HERE.
Ninzo: DON’T STAY OUT TOO LATE! YOU HAVE DUTY IN THE MORNING.
Barberra: ::Under her breath, to Bec:: Oh, she’s annoying, I love her, ::Yelling downstairs:: HOW ABOUT RULE OF ACQUISITION NUMBER SIX HUNDRED AND FORTY SEVEN, “SHUT THE HELL UP YOU’RE NOT MY MOTHER!”
Annamae couldn’t understand why Ninzo was acting like she was her mother. The Ferengi women was only in the shop from 9am to 9pm when her “business” was open. She didn’t even live there, she owned a fancy apartment in the upmarket Beijing district.
From downstairs, the only sound that could be heard was Ninzo ranting in Ferengi.
Iko: Response
Barberra: ::smiling:: She’s amazing. ::Stoic expression:: Let’s go before she gives me a lecture on the people I hang out with again.
Iko: Response
Barberra: Oh, she’ll talk about you in the morning, I guarantee it. ::gesturing:: C’mon, let’s slip down the stairs out the back entrance.
As Annamae led Bec down the stairs, she looked over her shoulder at her.
Barberra: I like your hair. The braid looks mean. You’re perfectly dressed for this bar.
The crewman felt her face blush a little as they made their way out of the back door.
Iko: Response
Just as the door was shutting, there was one last shout from inside.
Ninzo: I CAN HEAR YOU LEAVING THROUGH THE BACK DO- ::door shuts::
((“The Terrible Targ” – A few minutes later))
The doors opened, and Annamae gestured for Bec to go in first.
Iko: Response
Barberra: No, just letting you be the one to be stabbed as we walk in. Self defence.
Iko: Response
Barberra: ::Tut:: I’m *kidding*, geez, I’m being polite.
Annamae awkwardly rubbed her own upper arm with her hand.
Barberra: ::Shy tone:: You look nice.
Iko: Response
As they walked into the dimly lit bar, Annamae looked around. The bar was half full. Klingon acid punk was quietly playing through the speakers above them. There were all sorts of patrons, quietly having drinks. Some from the Delta Quadrant, and a few less species from the Alpha Quadrant, including a table of three Klingons in the corner. They turned to look and observe the pair.
B’Mar: Response
Barberra lifted her chin and confidently walked up to the bar, grabbing Bec by the upper arm as she did so.
Barberra: ::smacking hand on bar:: We’ll have two bottles of your second cheapest bloodwine. No glasses, we’ll drink straight from the bottles. ::patting bar firmly, eyes wide open:: Hurry up!
B’Mar/Iko: Responses
Tags/TBC!
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Crewman Second Class Annamae Barberra
Liaison Officer for the Starfleet Attaché
Amity Outpost
V239511WU0