04-15-2024, 03:37 PM
Peter made an exception this time. Normally he would not set foot in Quark's, because...well, it was one of the most potent symbols of the Ferengi culture that he loathed with a passion.
As high as his admiration was for those Ferengi who'd managed to break free from that, as low was his opinion of the culture itself.
Would Ferenginar one day take its place in the Federation Council? He hoped it. He doubted that either he, or his children, or his children's children's children would see that day.
But, then again, he would normally not have relieved his Captain of command, only to go back on that after having been shown the truth. He had just come from the "debriefing", and darn it if he didn't need an actual drink now.
He'd definitely played hardball, invoking his guaranteed right to counsel present during the interrogation, leaving his interrogators scrambling to find a suitable JAG-representative on short notice.
He had told them what they'd asked, and nothing more. When asked about why he hadn't arrested Braggins as ordered, he'd referred them to the orders she'd shown him coming direct from the Federation Council, and that he was acting on the best information he had. And that, given those circumstances, orders coming straight from the top outclassed orders given by a "mere" Captain, in this case Khumalo.
He knew he'd pushed it a bit at adding "mere" to Khumalo's rank, and he'd dialed his acerbic remarks down after that, but the end result was the same, and the gist of it was: I followed orders, just not Captain Khumalo's.
And he also felt pretty good by adding that his actions had helped in saving the lives of a lot of people Starfleet had given up as MIA.
In the end, he walked out a free man, with a slap on the wrist. He'd barely dared to hope for that outcome, but would gladly take it.
And now he definitely needed a drink. A real one.
He headed into the bar, and immediately scowled a bit as he saw the spectacle. Barely clothed Dabo girls, ridiculously overworked and underpaid waiters. It was a slap in the face of the dignity and humanitarianism - regardless of species - that he'd just risked his life, and his career, to defend. But it was outside of Federation jurisdiction, as the "embassy" of the Ferengi Alliance. Grand Nagus Rom wasn't as stupid as his detractors wanted to make him out to be, and he was definitely a family man. Peter didn't even want to think about how obscenely rich Quark had become from that particular decision.
But what it also was, was a popular gathering point of not just the station's residents, but a popular place to have shore leave. And so he was certain he would find some of the Philadelphia's crew out and about. Well, formerly Philadelphia.
It had been a bit of a heartbreak to learn that a fair bit of the crew would be scattered to the winds. But that was a regret to have later. For now, it was time to try to unwind a bit.
Qui bibit, dormit. Qui dormit, non peccat. Qui non peccat, sanctus est he thought with a bit of a chuckle, as he then spotted d'Tor'an and Beinn at the bar.
At least he spotted a couple of friendly faces. He smiled and headed over to d'Tor'an and Beinn.
"I'm pleased to see some hint of civilization in this place" he said with a big smile as he then looked over at the bartender and called for an ice cold Carlsberg, before looking back at them.
"How do you fare? Both of you?", he asked with mild concern in his voice.
== Tag!
==
As high as his admiration was for those Ferengi who'd managed to break free from that, as low was his opinion of the culture itself.
Would Ferenginar one day take its place in the Federation Council? He hoped it. He doubted that either he, or his children, or his children's children's children would see that day.
But, then again, he would normally not have relieved his Captain of command, only to go back on that after having been shown the truth. He had just come from the "debriefing", and darn it if he didn't need an actual drink now.
He'd definitely played hardball, invoking his guaranteed right to counsel present during the interrogation, leaving his interrogators scrambling to find a suitable JAG-representative on short notice.
He had told them what they'd asked, and nothing more. When asked about why he hadn't arrested Braggins as ordered, he'd referred them to the orders she'd shown him coming direct from the Federation Council, and that he was acting on the best information he had. And that, given those circumstances, orders coming straight from the top outclassed orders given by a "mere" Captain, in this case Khumalo.
He knew he'd pushed it a bit at adding "mere" to Khumalo's rank, and he'd dialed his acerbic remarks down after that, but the end result was the same, and the gist of it was: I followed orders, just not Captain Khumalo's.
And he also felt pretty good by adding that his actions had helped in saving the lives of a lot of people Starfleet had given up as MIA.
In the end, he walked out a free man, with a slap on the wrist. He'd barely dared to hope for that outcome, but would gladly take it.
And now he definitely needed a drink. A real one.
He headed into the bar, and immediately scowled a bit as he saw the spectacle. Barely clothed Dabo girls, ridiculously overworked and underpaid waiters. It was a slap in the face of the dignity and humanitarianism - regardless of species - that he'd just risked his life, and his career, to defend. But it was outside of Federation jurisdiction, as the "embassy" of the Ferengi Alliance. Grand Nagus Rom wasn't as stupid as his detractors wanted to make him out to be, and he was definitely a family man. Peter didn't even want to think about how obscenely rich Quark had become from that particular decision.
But what it also was, was a popular gathering point of not just the station's residents, but a popular place to have shore leave. And so he was certain he would find some of the Philadelphia's crew out and about. Well, formerly Philadelphia.
It had been a bit of a heartbreak to learn that a fair bit of the crew would be scattered to the winds. But that was a regret to have later. For now, it was time to try to unwind a bit.
Qui bibit, dormit. Qui dormit, non peccat. Qui non peccat, sanctus est he thought with a bit of a chuckle, as he then spotted d'Tor'an and Beinn at the bar.
At least he spotted a couple of friendly faces. He smiled and headed over to d'Tor'an and Beinn.
"I'm pleased to see some hint of civilization in this place" he said with a big smile as he then looked over at the bartender and called for an ice cold Carlsberg, before looking back at them.
"How do you fare? Both of you?", he asked with mild concern in his voice.
== Tag!
==