Twelve

[MrDrankum 0]

TWELVE

An Ambassador Drankum Profitable Production

Copyright © 2011, Drankum, LLC.

 

It was early morning, station time anyway. Patty had spent most of the last several days ensuring everything was prepared. The fact she had been forced to utilize outside help was something that, under normal circumstances, would have annoyed her Ferengi companion. Yet given the circumstances, it was a necessary evil and parting with the latinum hadn’t been all that difficult. Though, in some ways, it probably was the only thing that fit into that category.

 

Patty Santi had made a home on Aegis. In fact, she had held a permanent residence here longer than any other time in her life. Sure, she had been back on Canar, but here…the sky harbor had been up and about for over a decade. Even before it was officially open, the bar had been busy keeping workers occupied as they slept in still incomplete quarters. To this day, Patty could not forget when the bar had accidentally pulled too much power from the only working generator and caused the incomplete plumbing system to die. And she thought Klingon’s smelled bad.

 

So she had been busy packing for two and not. Patty herself still had to maintain a presence on Aegis, it wasn’t as if the bar was going anywhere. However, her schedule would probably only bring her by sporadically. Going from a fully furnished suite to living out of a suitcase in a double would be interesting. Then again, as he had already reminded her, they would be gone almost all of the time. There had been a point in the universe that Patty would never had heard such words, it really put into perspective what was happening.

 

On schedule, Drankum had arrived at three-thirty in the morning. It had been “arranged” that his arrival would be kept quiet. As Patty suspected, he had finally admitted concern about public perception. Big ears still had his pride and knew most would not fully understand what he had done for some time. Then again, FNS seemed to be doing a pretty good job of putting pieces together. Even so, it had been his wish and so it had been done. However, Patty knew someone else knew he was here and rumors were spreading. In a funny twist of fate, people were actually going to Drankum’s Bar looking for Drankum. Things had come full circle. It wouldn’t be too long however, it would all be over within a day.

 

The Station Commander of Sky Harbor Aegis had said very little once he had gotten off the F.A.S. Plunder, he had spoken to almost no one. According to the stewards aboard, Drankum had sat on the observation deck of the luxury yacht but said nothing. A decade later, when asked during an interview, the Ferengi would admit that he had spent the trip “enjoying the journey, one last time.” Most of what Patty learned had come from the documents he had brought back. The powers that be had been told most of what had happened…though it was obvious certain details had been left out and others embellished just a tad. The Ferengi were still the Ferengi. In general, the major players had agreed with the assessment Rom, Jint and Drankum had. The need to act was clear, what it meant for the future wasn’t. Patty guessed that between Muon Quark and Drankum, the Ferengi had been in charge for five years…but wouldn’t see a sixth.

 

One item had surprised her. Apparently Drankum had purchased a lavish vacation before leaving Earth. Patty would join him heading to every major tourist site on Earth, Andoria, Vulcan, Bajor, Risa and more. She had later realized it was the trip she had asked for almost a decade ago, the one right after the trade route had been finalized back on Starbase Aegis. It had been after the festivities…he had said yes. Until Cardassia called. Had that really been over a decade ago?

 

When she looked, Patty knew that this is why he didn’t want anyone to see him now. The figure of five and a half feet looked exhausted. He was relaxed, but seemed spent. His drink sat almost untouched. He still had on the most expensive suit he owned, the one apparently worn during the meeting days earlier. He had wanted to step back on dressed for the occasion. The cane was still in his hand, motionless and supporting him. The aged Ferengi was silent and only gave an occasional smile when prompted. If she didn’t know better, she could have sworn she saw tears. He had spent most of the last two hours staring out the two story windows into the asteroid field beyond.

 

A computer could show that he had been actively associated with Aegis for thirteen and a half years.

 

Roughly four thousand, nine hundred and eighty-three hours.

 

As he looked, Drankum knew it would all end in less than twelve.