Lt Alex Storm - Noise is Easier Than Silence

[Karen Morris]

((Sacred Marketplace, Ferenginar))

Ships are large entities with relatively small complements.  Highschool gossip doesn’t even begin to compare with the lightspeed spread of gossip on a starship.  Alex had told Roy about her circumstances, but the people who nudged her to open up seemed to proliferate quicker than an unspayed cat.  Better to change the subject.

Storm:  Well, while we’re here, do you fancy doing any shopping?

Jira’s sandwich, flopping in the wind produced by the glebboning, beckoned Alex on.

Jaran:  Shopping sounds delightful. Lead the way!

Alex looked between the rows and chose one.

Storm: Why don’t we go this way.

As the two started down the row, overhead lights cast sparkling colors across various parts of the row, like a disco ball on a dance floor.  Alex fought the urge to raise her head and arms to the lights and dance to the cacophonous noise, which the Ferengi called the music, emanating from a row over.  But then a pungent smell wafted through the row, accompanied by a call of ‘giant, fried toad toes.’ Alex paused, covered her nose, and scuttled further down the row until she realized her companion was no longer with her.  Jira had been hijacked by a female Ferengi and yanked into a booth of scarves and fabric.

Jira held up a scarf of chartreuse.

Jaran: What do you think? It's a good colour for you.

Storm: I … think I’ll pass.  

Alex offered an apologetic nod at the woman whose expression looked like she had just taken a bite of a ‘giant, fried toad toe.’

Jaran: So why the marketplace with your precious couple of hours? It seems like you chose chaos on purpose.

Before, she could put her ‘filter in place,’ words slipped out of her mouth.

Storm: Because it’s hard to think about things when there’s so much noise going …

Her throat constricted tightly, nearly shutting off her windpipe.  Her hand flew to her throat, touching the knot to loosen it.  When she could breathe again, she offered a single syllable chuckle and gestured at herself.  

Storm: Case in point.  

Jaran:  Response

Storm continued meandering through the row, but another Ferengi jumped out in front of her, causing Alex to step back with her right foot.  Muscle memory had her hand flying to her right hip.  Realizing there was no phaser there, she nonchalantly slipped it into her slicker pocket.  

The sign 'Stuffed Animal Emporium' flashed above the proprietor of the large booth.  He grabbed the discombobulated Alex by the arm, which she immediately twisted away from him, but by then, her gaze had fallen upon the hundreds, if not thousands, of every kind of stuffed creature that lined the booth.

Each type of animal was displayed together.  Bears of all kinds, different types of fish, cats ranging from house cat to tiger, frogs, sloths, Tyrian bats, Helsgeth fanged mice, and even spiders - too many spiders.

Ferengi:  See something you like?

Storm:  There are so many of them.

Jaran:  Response

Ferengi:  Anything strike your fancy?  Or perhaps you want to buy one for your friend.

The Ferengi held up his hands at Alex's narrowing eyes.

Ferengi: Or not

Instead, she wandered over toward the bears.  At the same time that her eyes wrinkled, her fingers reached out and ran over the fur on a Koala bear.  Wrapping her fingers around one of the forelegs, Alex plucked it from the display.  Her fingers wrapped around the midsection just under its arms, her mouth twitched once before settling down.  

Storm:  How much?

Ferengi:  For you?  Ten slips of latinum.

Hugging the bear against her with one hand, Alex’s fingers slipped into her pocket, silently recounting the currency. 

Storm: I have six.

Ferengi:  Eight. 

Storm: I said, I have six.

The Ferengi’s eyes narrowed, and they rubbed one of their eye ridges.  

Ferengi:  Seven.

Alex set the Koala down, and turned to go.  Just as she raised her foot …

Ferengi:  Fine!  You can have it for six.

Alex reached into her pocket and pulled out six slips of latinum, showing them to him, and held her other hand out for the Koala.  The exchange was simultaneous.

Storm:  Thank you.  Maybe, I’ll call Ten Slips.  

As the Koala thumped softly against her hips, something in her pocket jingled.  The squat Ferengi waddled away muttering something about lying Betazoids.

Jaran: Response.

~*~

Tags / TBC

~*~

Lt Alex Storm

Tactical Officer

USS Artemis

O240103SK2