On The Road

Posted on Sat Mar 16th, 2024 @ 6:03pm by Commander Kevin Lance & Captain Mira Rodale

Mission: Thunderdome
Location: Paarth Elion Three
Timeline: Five.days later

Five days into the journey to the Grandaas stronghold, Mira pulled the truck up in front of the gate to yet another Paarthian settlement. Kevin had insisted the everyone get practice driving the Paarthian vehicle. He didn't want to get in a situation where they couldn't drive away because Lieutenant Walker was too injured to drive or, Cochran forbid, dead.

Kevin climbed down from the cab and shouted a formal greeting to the residents announcing the arrival of the great merchant El'Ance from the South. Kevin was reveling this role. In the days of travel, he had channeled all his memories of Captain Nikolai deGamma's suave and debonair nature in negotiating deals with the Paarthian settlements for food, fuel and other trade items.

At first, it was painful as repressed memories of deGamma's death occupied his awareness but the more Kevin had to think about the way that the captain of the Dorcas James would deal with the situations that Kevin was presented with, the more he basked in the gloriously radiance that was Nikolai's life. Kevin had stopped using Mira to translate for him, speaking eloquently in his implant augmented speech as he grew more confident in his act. He had even negotiated some very beneficial trade deals with the smaller settlements. Kevin felt that deGamma would be very proud of the scrawny kid that had been pulled out of his ship's ventilation system.

The confused and delayed response to Kevin's flamboyant arrival was typical. The smaller Paarthian settlements tended to be paranoid but their fascination with strangers and craving for anything new and different in their lives quickly overcame any reservations.

Kevin continued his act, bragging about the treasures that he had brought from far off lands and the wonders that he would share, until the settlement gate opened and out stepped a tall Paarthian woman carrying a large, double-barreled firearm, accompanied by two smaller persons, a female and a male. This was odd. Never before had the away team been greeted by females.

The tall woman with the ugly looking weapon, didn't avoid Kevin's gaze as was common. She looked him straight in the eye and demanded, "What do you want?"

"I yam Keevan El'Ance and I brings treasuures from far off lends! I wood spick wid yoose leeder," Kevin announced.

"You're talking to her," the woman replied in an unfriendly tone.

Kevin faltered slightly at the announcement. A female leader? This was something new. Kevin sensed that his usual shtick wouldn't work. He turn back to the truck and shouted in Federation Standard, "Captain, I need your help."

Mira jumped down out of the driver's cab of the truck and approached. "You might want to take this one," Kevin said to her.

"K'ner, you're with me," Mira stated before moving forward

Mira smirked up at Kevin and turned her greeting to the woman. "Greetings, we are from the south and have come to trade." She took a few steps forward and held out her arm in a warrior greeting.

"You talk better than your 'friend'", the settlement leader observed.

The female leader raised her eyebrow but took Mira's testing her strength. "You are the leader?" The woman asked.

"When it suits me. Otherwise, I let my men prove their worth."

"Must be nice, having males that you consider worthy," the settlement leader replied, "I'll ask the same question that I asked of your male. What do you want?"

Mira nodded. "I do consider my men worthy. We have cone to trade we are in need of fuel and have equipment, weapons, clothing and seeds to trade." Mira made sure the men were not on the list of trade.

"We have a little excess after what is saved aside for the tithe," the settlement leader admitted, "Might be willing to part with some of it if you have anything interesting. My name is Annvell."

"I'm Mira and this is K'ner"

"Pleasure to meet'cha," Annvell examined the truck with a critical eye, "You're vehicle should be able to fit through the gate but I gonna want my folks to check it to make sure you ain't trying to pull one over on me. Any others on the truck besides you three?"

"Of course, We have been attacking a few times on our travel as well. I can understand the need to be careful. I have 9 people with us and my Vaytoc. At hearing his name, Vaytoc hopped down from the truck and walked to her side.

Mira smiled as she scratched his back, making him happy. "We are a large family." Mira was letting her know all her people were important to her.

Annvell's eyes narrowed, "You won't mind if I have Deeka and Jayne check your vehicle to verify your claim." It was spoken more like an expectation than a request.

"Of course you may. We can also set up out here for you to see what we have to offer whatever you feel it best." Mira smiled. Mira almost thought staying outside the camp might be safer for them, but she trusted her people to be able to protect themselves.

Annvell flicked hand gestures to her two companions and they moved towards the truck, wary but not threatening. Kevin lead them to the back of the truck and opened the cargo doors. "Relax," he said to the truck's occupants, "They just want to make sure we aren't a Trojan Horse."

Between the vehicle and the settlement, Annvell responded to Mira, "Suit yourself, but I would have thought that with night coming on you'd want to seek refuge in a settlement."

"With such a large group It is hard to accommodate this many people." Mira smiled. "We have learned to make due with what we have. Do you have any wildlife in this area we should be worried about?" Mira asked curiously.

"Mostly just scavengers like your pet," Annvell indicated Vaytoc, "but the are mostly interested in livestock and avoid groups of people."

"All clear Annvell," Deeka shouted from the back of the truck.

Annvell relaxed slightly and said, "Your male said you have treasures and wonders from the south. What do you have?"

Mira smiled "come and see we have things from all over." She lead woman to the back of the truck were the crew started to take things out and set up.

Kevin smoothly slid back into his role as peddler of the exotic as he showed off their goods to a gathering crowd of Paarthians from the settlement. Annvell adopted an air of having seen it all but many of the younger Paartians were caught up in Kevin's enthusiasm and they "ooh"ed and "aah"ed over the proffered goods.

While bargaining in deGamma's best imitation of a Ferengi, Kevin noted the composition of the crowd. Most of them were female and while some were evidently shy, one group of three adolescent girls stared unabashedly at Kronnelti and devolved into giggles when he looked their way, they were acting nothing like the females in male dominated settlements. Kevin idly wondered what Lieutenant Walker's assessment of this group would be.

Mira covered her laugh when Geneva put her arm around Walker's waist when two women started to flirt with Walker.

"Rogar?" When the female security officer came running over, Mira wispered."Perhaps you could deflect the interest Kronnelti is getting. Mated klingons don't do well with other women's advances when they have a mate. I don't want any problems."

The security crewman looked at her Captain with wide eyes, "What do you want me to do Captain? Eliminate the targets?"

Mira's eyes widened, and then she laughed. "No Crewman." Mira eyes went to K'ner, who was too busy laughing to be much help. "In Federation Standard, tell him I said to wait in the truck once he is inside, put you hands on your hips, and look annoyed at the girls. Hopefully, that will put an end to it. "

"Oh. I can do that!" Rogar replied happily.

K'ner smirked. "So the men are getting a little taste of what we have had to put up with here?"

Mira nodded it had been alot to deal with, but everyone was doing well. "Kevin is a good Salesman."

off:

Commander Mira Rodale
CO
USS Chuck Norris

and

Lieutenant Commander Kevin Lance
Executive Officer
USS Chuck Norris