STAR TREK: REFLECTIONS OF DESTINY

Labors of Disgrace

Jimmy kept his eyes averted from the dabo girl across the entertainment bar—then refocused his attention on clearing out and cleaning the tables—before he had the chance of catching one of his last meal breaks—for the evening shift at hand.

"You were always an immaculate server: For a hooman." Gegis's praiseworthy tone of voice cut into his concentration at the last possible second: Making him the young man drop one of the heavier drink glasses by accident.

Fortunately for him...? It hit the floor with a loud thud and then rolled sharply off to the left and under one of the unoccupied tables at large.

"—except...maybe that." He chuckled patiently. "Been here three years and you have yet to break any of my inexpensive tableware—not that it would cost me anything—mind you."

"Or...me?"

Gegis sighed—before taking one of the empty seats across from—taking a small hit off his wed'ja pipe: Blowing a fragrant cloud of smoke in the other man's general direction.

"It wouldn't be worth my time. Or effort. Stuff like this...is more commonplace than five bars of gold pressed latinum."

Jimmy nodded neutrally—knowing where this conversation would be heading.

"...have you heard anything from Ferenginar? Or your great-grand niece Pania?" He offered delicately in return—stopping for a brief moment to drop the dirty cleaning rag into the soapy dish bucket located on top of his dolly cart.

The old Ferengi bartender shook his head quietly.

"No..." He murmured worriedly.

Jimmy nodded in silent sympathy. "Maybe my father can look into it. I mean...he is the First Officer of the Enterprise. He could ask...around?" Then stopped when he saw the mixed look of pain and panic on his boss's face.

"Um...sorry. That was out of line."

Gegis recovered his composure in the next few seconds—then sighed miserably.

"Not your fault hooman. Not your fault at all. Just recalling the last time I ran into that accursed starship and its merciless Captain: Saavik."

The younger man stopped for a second and slowly said in return, "Considering the history between you two...? I'm not the least bit surprised: Seeing how that incident was about three year before I was even born. When my father was still an Ensign. Aboard the old Republic—before she was destroyed during the successful Four Year War with the Klingon Empire."

The Ferengi bartender let out a miserable sigh.

"Ferenginar shouldn't have gotten involved in that mess. Not one bit. That fight wasn't even profitable for Grand Nagus's sake."

"I'm sure there will be others, sir." Jimmy said out of reverent respect for his elder, friend, benefactor, and boss.

"Not like this," the old Ferengi wheezed unhappily—before taking a long forgotten hit off his pipe.

Then exhaled slowly. Thoughtfully.

"Not like this."