Squadron JAG Officer’s Log, Stardate 2401.4. The Challenger is en route to rendevous with the Endurance. Despite Captain Rix’s attempts to talk Fleet Captain Forrester out of this course of action, he seems determined to press ahead.  I share the First Officer’s misgivings about this course of action, but for now, all our objections are falling on deaf ears.

Simon Lightford didn’t often spend time on the bridge and when he did, it was seldom for anything good. Today, he was here to ensure Fleet Captain Forrester didn’t break the law in his pursuit of information on the whereabouts of Penn Renos. His gut twisted at the thought of having to step in to save Forrester from himself.

Captain Rix occupied the centre chair as the Challenger hurtled through the vastness of space destined to rendezvous with the starship Endurance. He absently worried his lower lip as he studied something on the small LCARS panel on the chair’s armrest. It was Rix who’d requested Lightford’s presence on the bridge.

“Sir,” Lieutenant Commander Calderwood’s voice broke through the tense atmosphere, “we’re receiving a message from the Endeavour.” He held the earpiece against his ear.

Lightford noticed Rix’s fingers snake around the edge of the armrest, gripping it tightly in anticipation of what the next few seconds would bring.

“They say they’ve intercepted Daimon Lurg’s ship, but that he’s refusing to allow his ship to be inspected,” Lightford couldn’t keep the look of disappointment from his face. “But…he’s willing to divulge the location of Penn Renos…for a price.”

As his disappointment morphed into confusion, Lightford turned to Rix with a questioning look. “How does he know we’re looking for Renos?”

“One day he’s smuggling a wanted man off Darox, the next a Federation starship is intercepting him,” Rix pointed out. “Doesn’t take a genius to make the connection.” He hit a control on the armrest of his chair. “Captain Forrester to the bridge.”

“Report,” Forrester barked when he emerged from the ready room moments later. His eyes darted briefly in Lightford’s direction. “I see you brought back up,” he mumbled to Rix as he settled into the command chair.

Ignoring Forrester’s needling, Captain Rix gave him a quick rundown of the message from Endurance.

“What’s his price?” Forrester asked, turning to Calderwood.

With a shrug, Calderwood replied, “Apparently he’ll only discuss that with you directly.”

“How long until we reach the Endurance’s position?”

At the helm, Lieutenant da Costa consulted his console. “Thirty-seven minutes.”

“Captain Rix, I want you and Commander Lightford to greet our guest. Find out what his price is” Lightford couldn’t help but feel he was being punished for something, but for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out what, “and have Ensign Bakshi lay out some food.”

With his orders given, Forrester retreated once again to the privacy of his ready room. Lightford’s gaze fell on Captain Rix, who was smoothly retaking his place in the command chair. “There’s something I don’t understand.”

“What’s that?” Rix asked.

Lightford perched himself on the chair to Rix’s left. “Why is Lurg so willing to give up one of his clients?”

“You’re forgetting Rule of Acquisition number seventeen, ‘A contract is a contract is a contract, but only between Ferengi’,” Rix replied.

The Rules that governed Ferengi life had never been Lightford’s strong suit. He was forever mixing up rules six and twenty-one. “But, if it gets out that he’s burned one of his clients, won’t that damage his reputation and make it difficult for him to do business in the future?”

“Maybe,” the First Officer replied with a shrug, “but like any good Ferengi, Lurg will have done his cost-benefit analysis. He’ll have concluded that whatever price he can extract from us in exchange for his information will outweigh whatever long-term reputational damage he does in the process, and he’ll only be damaged if it gets out that he rolled over on his client.”

Lightford nodded. His experience with the Ferengi was limited. He’d spent most of his career on starbases. This was the first time in his career that he’d spent any time beyond the confines of Federation space. “What do you think his price is going to be?”

“I have no idea,” Rix slowly shook his head, “but I know this much; it won’t be cheap.”