"The Wait"

[Craven 0]

<<Again, I've just moved this log here as now that I'm posted on excal this is a more appropriate locale>>>

 

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"The time is 08:00 hours." The sound of the computer's wake up call irritated the young man in the bed.

 

"Great, right in the middle of a good dream." he grumbled.

 

Ensign Jack Craven rubbed his eyes for a moment and sat up. It took a few seconds for him to get his bearings and realize where he was. He had spent the past week on multiple transports, and never really had time to get used to changing beds.

He rose and hopped into the sonic shower in the next room, and stood there motionless for a few minutes, still waking up. He started fumbling with the temperature controls, still trying to figure out which direction was "hot".

 

"Damn Cardassian showers, you'd think even they would make bathing somewhat simpler."

 

After a week's travel from the Academy on Earth, he had arrived at Deep Space Nine two days earlier. Starfleet had granted him leave while he waited for his first permanent assignment since graduation. He decided to use that time to see the one sight in the Alpha Quadrant that had eluded him for so many years: The Bajoran Wormhole. When he did in fact get the chance to see a few Federation transports enter it, a wave of curiosity swept through him. Much unlike the wave of sickness that came after his dinner in the Klingon restaurant the previous night. "Adventure" it would seem, would have to wait until his posting, or at least so said the nurse who helped him along in the infirmary.

 

"No Klingon today," he said to himself, "today I think I'll try breakfast....at a bar."

 

Craven walked along the promenade carrying a datapad, looking about at all the different shops, he thought about the thesis he carried in his hands. During his time at Starfleet Academy he had started his thesis on quantum and temporal mechanics, he figured if he received his requested postition as a science officer aboard a Federation Vessel, it would be nice to have some added credentials, even though he already possesed his basic degree in quantum and temporal mechanics as well as a degree in warp core technology....and then of course his PhD in Positronics. But he figured, a little more certainly wouldnt hurt.

 

Before long he arrived at "Qark's Bar". He was surprised anyone at all would be in the bar at this hour, but alas a lone balding Lurian sat at the end stool. Jack took a seat next to him.

 

"Good morning." the young ensign said with a smile.

 

The Lurian turned and smiled and raised his glass. Just as the bulky alien was about to open his mouth a voice cut him off from behind the bar.

 

"Ah ah ah Morn, what did I tell you? Not a word and not a move until you pay this month's bar tab, and I mean it!" An irritated Ferengi walked up from behind the bar to just in front of where the young man now sat. He turned to Jack and spoke,

"Ah, he's been running off at the mouth since late last night. I just got him to shut up."

 

The young man grinned, "You must be Quark."

 

The Ferengi tilted his head and retorted with a thick layer of sarcasm "Very astute. Now what do you want? Its 09:30." The young man stared back blankly, so he added "In the morning!"

 

Jack forced back a smile and stood from his seat, "Oh, I'm sorry," he turned to the entrance, "...I didn't realize you didn't serve breakfast."

 

The Ferengi's expression changed in an instant from irritable to accommodating, and when he spoke, it was evident he had no intention of allowing the man to leave without selling him something, "Whatever gave you that idea? Come, come! Take a seat!" The young man returned to his stool, and set his datapad on the bar. "What'll it be? A Bolian omlette perhaps? Or eggs over easy?"

 

"Ah, no eggs for me please. I'll just have a bowl of cinnamon oatmeal...Earth style, and two raktajinos, one hot, one room temperature."

 

"Coming right up." the Ferengi turned and replicated the food.

 

Jack looked over to his right at the Lurian, Morn, who was still nursing his drink. Morn gave him a smile and shrugged his shoulders before returning to his synthehol.

 

"There you go, enjoy." Quark set the tray down in front of the young man and turned back to continue setting up his bar station.

 

"Thank you." The young man said with a smile and took a sip of the room temperature raktajino, before downing the entire glass.

 

Hearing the man gulp his drink down so fast, Quark turned back to face him. "You're either incredibly tired or incredibly thirsty. I hope you intend to pay for all that."

 

"What makes you think I wouldn't?" The young man replied witha raised eyebrow.

 

"Rule of acquisition number ninety-one, he who..." but before he could finish, the young man interrupted,

 

"He who drinks fast, pays slow. Well you don't have to worry I'll pay it all."

 

Quark gave a sly smile, "You're familiar with your rules I see? Spend much time near Ferenganar?"

 

The young man returned the smirk, "Let's just say I've had my fair share of dealings with the Ferengi."

 

"Well...I can see that. I'll leave you to your breakfast."

 

And as he ate, young Jack Craven thought about how he would spend the rest of his time on Deep Space Nine. Maybe he would visit Bajor, but he wanted to be on the first ship off-station if the call came through about his posting.

 

"I guess I'll just have to go where the wind takes me." he said to him self, and he returned to his thesis.