Hok stepped into the small interrogation room, a dull gray place barely ten feet on all sides.  The bright light left no shadows on the metal walls.  There was a desk with a chair on each side, but the lone occupant, Daimon Klunt, was pacing, his lobes red from fury.

Hok was wearing a plain blue jumpsuit.  Following behind him was Iziraa.  She was dressed in a black leather jacket, slacks, and combat boots.  A disruptor was on her right hip.  In her hands she carried an ushaan-tor.  Her antennae leaned forward over her scowling face, blue eyes glaring at Klunt.

For a few seconds, there was a stare-down.

Klunt burst forth with a string of obscenities in Ferengi that almost made Hok blush.

“Who are you?  What are you doing?”  Klunt was livid.

“My name is Bral.  I’m an associate of Kavi Rozen.  I’m here on behalf of our friends,” said Hok.

Klunt was certainly a man that wasn’t easily intimidated, but for a fraction of a second, Hok could see concern, and maybe fear, on his face.

“Please sit, Daimon.”

Another stare-down.

Hok motioned towards the chair.

Looking at Iziraa, or perhaps at the deadly blade she held, Klunt begrudgingly sat.

“Can I get you something?” said Hok after he had also sat down.

“Where am I and why did you bring me here?  I warn you, I’m not someone to be trifled with.”

“Yes, yes, I’m sure that’s true,” said Hok.  “We just need a small favor from you and you can go back to ripping off your customers in your casino.”

“A favor?”

“You recently acquired some information about the Breen.  That was actually supposed to go to us.  Kavi was sent to get it, but she failed, so I’m here now.  Simply hand it over for a modest finder’s fee and you can go,” said Hok.

“This is outrageous!  I promise you’ll regret this,” said Klunt.

“We knocked out the power in your casino and beamed you here from your underground vault.  I’m sure we won’t regret anything,” said Hok.

“There’s a Starfleet ship in orbit.  They won’t let you get away with this,” said Klunt.

Hok scoffed.  “Starfleet has no authority here.  They’re no concern to us.  Out of respect to your accomplishments, we’re giving you the chance to cooperate.  That won’t last long.  Be reasonable so we can all get back to earning profit.”

“Why should I believe anything you say?” said Klunt.  “Why does the Orion Syndicate need Breen deployment plans?”

“Why do you?” said Hok.

“That’s my business.”

“Don’t you love irony?”  Hok looked back at Iziraa who continued staring at Klunt as she fondly caressed her blade.

“Time is running out, Daimon.  The way I see it, you really have no choice.”

Klunt stared at Hok, glanced at Iziraa, and scratched his nose.  “If I agree, what’s my fee and how will we do this?”

“We beam back to the vault, you open it, you get the files, and hand them over.  Your fee is ten bricks of gold-pressed latinum.”

Klunt laughed.  “Either you’re pretending to be from the Syndicate or they need to improve their recruitment practices.”  Klunt spoke in Ferengi, telling them what they could do with themselves.

Before Hok could reply, Iziraa stepped past him, her ushaan-tor swinging down and imbedding into the wood table with a dull thud that startled him..  There was a tiny rivulet of blood on Klunt’s right pinkie finger.

“I told you your time is running out,” said Hok recovering quickly.  “I won’t ask again.”

Klunt hadn’t moved, his eyes wide as he looked at the crazy Andorian.  When she pulled the blade out of the table, she wiped the bit of blood on his sleeve.

“All right.  You win.  Ten bricks of gold-pressed latinum and we go back to the vault,” said Klunt, his demeanor subdued.

“I knew you were a reasonable man,” said Hok.  He stood up.  “You’ll stay here while we get the latinum.”  As he turned to leave, Iziraa gave Klunt a smile.

=====

“What do you think, Hok?  Did he buy it?  Is he going to give us the deployments?”

“It’s hard to say, Captain.  Lieutenant Iziraa put the fear of the Blessed Exchequer into him, but Klunt is a formidable man.  We’ll need to stay alert, as the vault may be booby-trapped.”

Kirby nodded.  “Okay.  Let’s get to it.  Good work.  Both of you.”

While Kirby walked away from the holosuite, Hok looked at Iziraa.  “I hope I never get on your bad side.”