Everything's Under Control

“No ginger, I’m afraid. In fact, there’s nothing illegal aboard my ship. And when you find nothing, I will be going to Sisko about compensation for my lost earnings. You see, shipping requires a ship and you’ve got mine locked up. In the last three days I’ve lost half a dozen clients and several bars of latinum. All for nothing.” Her smirk faded and she looked back at the changeling coldly. “In fact, I think I’ll talk to Sisko about the way I am routinely treated by you and your staff.”

“I’ve lost count of the number of times you’ve cost me money or created unnecessary inconvenience without once having ever found anything illegal or illicit in my possession. This isn’t your duty. This is your own private little witch hunt.”

Odo sat perfectly still. He would not be cowed by this righteous act. If she kept her business dealings strictly legal, there would be no need for this ‘unnecessary inconvenience’. There was more to smuggling than outlawed booze and endangered animals. She wasn’t dealing with an amateur.

That would make sense, but something was off. Not bad off like dangerous but she got the feeling he wasn’t telling her the whole truth, but oddly she was ok with that.

Hoshi hmmed, “We’re here for two days and two nights, and I plan to make the most of it. Captain’s here too, as are Commander Tucker and Lieutenant Reed. This our first time to Risa as well, obviously.” 

She looked back up at Odo, “Would you like me to get you a drink? The bartender told me it’s ‘happy hour’, so for one hour the drinks are ½ price.” 

“I’m... not much one for vacations myself, but I find it is beneficial to delve into any respite with enthusiasm. I enjoy the kayaking-” Don’t say holoprogram “-trips one of my colleagues invited me on most when my mind is set on the present.”

This was how small-talk was typically done, wasn’t it? He couldn’t care less what her vacation was like, only that it went exactly as it ought to have. As it had already. The more of a casually-met stranger he could make himself, the better. He just needed to stay harmlessly current until someone could help him out of this mess.

Archer put the Rubicon in high warp; he didn’t know whether or not the other ship was in serious danger. Maybe Odo would have mentioned if it was, but the Lieutenant didn’t want to take any chances. Besides, the quicker he picks up the Constable, the quicker he’ll get back to the station. 

Though, Archer was a little reluctant to be in the same runabout as the shapeshifter. Not that he didn’t trust Odo; he wasn’t anything like the Founders (not that he’s ever met a Founder, that’s just what people have said). No, it’s just that Odo wasn’t the most social being on the station. Archer barely knew him, outside of what was necessary. 

But perhaps this would be an opportunity to get to know him. If Archer was going to serve upon Deep Space Nine, then knowing the people he served with would be for the best.

In the estimated time, Archer fell out a warp just a few hundred meters away from the Rio Grande, drifting in space. He gave a small frown before hailing the small ship. “Rubicon to Rio Grande, I see you drifting out there. Still need a lift home?” Archer asked before wincing slightly. Odo probably wouldn’t appreciate trying to make light of his power loss.

He waited. Soon, the Rubicon would be within visual range. Well, hopefully within visual range of one of the viewports. It would be tedious trying to find him without sensors, which were rapidly failing on the Rio Grande’s control panel.

At long last- not too long, but boredom extended time dreadfully- there was the other ship. Now, he could get back to DS9 and continue monitoring the station. No doubt Quark had already put a scheme in place to take advantage of his slightly extended absence.

“Any time, Rubicon.“ He replied coolly. “I don’t know what your plans are for the rest of the workday, but I have a report to deliver among other things.” So, this Archer had a sense of humor as well. If Odo was in more of a joking mood and less of an ‘Irritated with drifting through space’ one, he might have made a sly comment in turn.

She’d had people remark before on how she didn’t have the same easy way of slipping away from the interest of certain kinds of people, like Odo for instance, as some did. It had always amused her the confusion that most felt whenever that conversation came about if only because she knew full well the way she habitually spoke was almost guaranteed to attract attention to a degree. Not to mention depending on the Land and Realm her activities shifted degrees of legality as did her need or desire to hide what she was. This made the constable a problem for her as the Fae had no desire to leave Deep Space Nine anytime soon, but that problem also made things far more interesting to her.

Returning the smile easily enough, her own polite and contemplative with a little nod while one hand made a faint squeezing motion as though used to resting on a cane. “Yes, well enough I’d say. Still a few minor little errands to take care of, but then life is filled with such things.” Pausing for just a moment her eyes flickered away as though the Fae was considering something which in truth she was. A multitude of different questions she wanted to ask, both as part of the game she so often liked to play and also out of sheer curiosity. Even Rumple had a certain amount of respect for Odo truth be told, as she had held in the past for others similar and if there was one thing the Fae woman always wanted to know it was just what made them tick. Alas, such questions always brought entirely too much attention and so as hard as it was she forced her curiosity down and away.

“If you will kindly excuse me now Constable I believe it is a good time for me to eat, and you said you were making your rounds yes? I’d hardly wish to keep you from them.”

“Of course.” Something about her demeanor told him his instincts were right, but there was nothing concrete to go on. Yet. He could review the station logs to see just what comings and going she’d had on the station, and why she seemed so familiar and so foreign at the same time. It was like seeing an anomaly for the first time. They happened more often than you thought, and once you caught sight of one, you looked everywhere for them.

“Enjoy your meal.” He gave her a slight bow and went on his own way down the Promenade. It put criminals at ease when you made the first move. They could react, and reacting was easier when the moves flowed like chess. There was no danger in his walking off, but if she followed, that was a move of her own. At that point, he could react. The tables were turning in this, he could feel it. Though the way they ended it would too early to tell.

Quark snatched the PADD back and scowled at the changeling. He’d come in looking for a reason to make trouble and if this was it, so be it, but he didn’t have to be happy about it. He had profits to think about after all. 

“Fine!” He snapped. “Well done, Odo! Keeping the station safe from the dangers of having a good time. You should talk to Sisko about getting a promotion for your work.”

“If he offered me a promotion, I doubt I’d take it. I’m sure the crime rate would skyrocket if I was behind a desk and not out here where I can keep my eye on you.” He’d been told- in insult- he did smug well. Odo took it as a compliment. No higher praise for a shapeshifter, after all. 

Coleagues? Maybe the Vulcans, or the Denobulans knew his species, It wouldn’t surprise her that T’Pol hadn’t mentioned him or his species. “I’m surprised our species haven’t met, although maybe I shouldn’t be because humans are so new to space. Just accomplished Warp 1 about 100 years ago, and our ship left space dock a little bit less than a year ago, 11 months I think. How long has your people been in space?” She took a sip of her ‘Risan Sunsets’ savouring the sweet taste of the cool liquid; no wonder it was a house favourite.

“Well, my people don’t often leave their homeworld. As such, I doubt we would have crossed paths before. This is my first time to Risa.” That much was true. He wasn’t sure about the atmosphere and the rumors their tourism board paid to keep in circulation, regardless of the century.

It might be the fitting thing to order a drink, but he didn’t know what currency Risa accepted at this time. That, and he didn’t have any on him. He could always just say he didn’t drink. Odo had been saying that for years.

Why Archer was chosen to take a couple Klingons to rendezvous with their fleet was beyond him. Sure, he was a pilot, but anybody could have taken them. In Archer’s opinion, this was a little bit of a waste of his piloting abilities. And a test of his patience every time one of the Klingons nearly sat on the helm. But at least the Lieutenant was heading back to DS9…

Until a distress signal popped up on Archer’s console, and he immediately recognized it as belonging to a Federation ship. Specifically, the Rio Grande. If memory served, the Constable was currently using that runabout. 

Archer instantly answered the hail, brows furrowed forward. “Rio Grande, this is the Rubicon. I’ve plotted a course to your location. I’ll be there in just a few minutes.” He said, quickly putting in the coordinates.

If there was one thing he had to say he liked best about the Federation, it was their efficiency. Though they had many superfluous clerical traditions, they got the job done. More quickly than he thought possible, if motivated. He recognized Archer and the Rubicon. There had been a PADD across his desk letting him know the Klingon troublemakers were finally leaving the station...

“I read you loud and clear, Rubicon. Thank you for your assistance.” How fortunate the other ship was so close. He supposed he might’ve read a book or something to pass the time, but this was an oft-traveled route. There were any number of ships out here. Archer’s was the first.

In truth she almost betrayed herself, not obviously of course but enough that he likely would have noticed it but then oddly enough Odo himself saved her. The very idea that her name, her face had been in a report could not help but amuse her. Odo himself noticing something about her was something to worry about, yes but a report? Hardly. She knew every single face of hers that had been recorded, as well as when and why. There was a reason she’d not returned to looking more Fae like till the occupation ended.

“A report? With my appearance? How very odd, I can’t imagine how that could be. If I was in one though, I’m quite sure you’d be the one to recognize me d… Constable.” That one eternal word, dearie, almost slipped out as it so often did. Even when faced by Cardassians she had smiled, winked, and called them dearie with a grin on her face. The man in front of her was already suspicious enough and she had no desire to increase it.  

“I do hope your rounds have been quiet though, and with little trouble.” Even more careful then normal, her words had been truthful and sincere albeit without any actual solid statement confirming or denying anything at all.  

Yes, he was almost certain she was hiding something. The air of nonchalance around the report, he thought, could be just as suspicious as a less subdued reaction. He knew a good many actors, in a loose sense of the word. They had tells. So would she, and if could identify them, he could figure out just what unsettled him so. Being suspicious was not a crime, but then again, innocent people were rarely so eager to hide something.

“Not much trouble, yet.” He could play the long con, pretend to get back to work, and then follow her in the guises of various inanimate objects. Most people on the station knew to look the other way if (and with Odo’s skill it was a rarity) they saw a coffee cup or a potted plant tailing someone.

“Taken a wrong turn? Possibly you made quite a few ‘wrong turns’. Would you like to join me for a drink or just a chat instead? My name’s Hoshi, by the way. What’s yours?”

 She gestured at the vacant bar stool to her right, smiling at him. He seemed nice enough, if a little strange. Then something occurred to her, “How come you speak United Earth Standard so well? I don’t believe we’ve ever had contact with your species before.”

Odo smiled, halfway and with a good deal of nervousness. It was unfortunate, that he was out here so suddenly. There was no chance at being prepared for and encounter like this. It wasn’t like they were infiltrating an old Federation starship in disguise...

“I’m Odo.” His eyes drifted around the bar for the first time. If this was Risa, where were the replicators? Why was she surprised he spoke- United Earth Standard? Oh no... Odo had a feeling he didn’t belong here in more ways than one. He needed more information, quickly.

“Don’t you have someone else to go bother?” Quark huffed, taking out his PADD. Quickly pulling up his licence, he held it out, deliberately sticking it in Odo’s face. “Here. Happy? Now if that’s all, you’re putting people off their drinks standing there like that. Some of us were having a good day.”

Not to mention the fact that Quark was expecting a buyer for a container of salvage he’d managed to get his hands on. No one wanted to do that sort of business with Odo hanging around and putting off a sale was a good way to lose a sale entirely. Time, like latinum, is a highly limited commodity after all.

“Wait just a minute!” He knew something was off about this whole affair. Finally, something to get Quark on, though really no more than a slap on the wrist. A minor inconvenience at most, but it would be a major inconvenience to any underhanded dealings going on in the immediate future.

Liz leaned against the wall of Odo’s office, arms crossed and smirking at the changeling. Her ship had spent the better part of three days docked under order of station security for a complete search. If they were going to waste her time, it seemed only fair to return the favour. 

“Odo, are you suggesting that my motives were anything but noble when I came in here? I keep hearing how wicked and devious Skrain is. I thought you’d want to know about his comings and goings today. In fact, I can tell you right now, if you’d like to catch him there’s a very good chance you can find him in my bed tonight. Or I can come back later and give you a complete run down of his activities there tomorrow.”

Now, it was far more likely than not that Nash was up to something illegal, namely smuggling, but she covered her tracks better than most. And if she thought she was going to get away with intimidating him off a search again, she had another thing coming.

Just one more alien was what the Fae normally told others, it allowed her the ease of keeping her glamour at a minimum with ears pointed and eyes oddly dark and spotted with gold. From time to time though she had to deal with others in the Bajoran form she had used to keep up constantly. This had been one of those times and she had let the glamour fade at just the wrong time. Not that Odo had seen completely, but obviously a flicker of something had been noticed attracting his attention.

Normally her rules gave her no issue, but this one time Rumple wished she could lie. It would have been far easier then bluffing this particular Constable. A polite smile, head inclined just so with the faintest hint of an all too knowing glance. One of her most common tells as to who she was, but one that few ever took the time to notice. Her body language. “Greetings Constable, haven’t we all recently arrived here considering the stations age? I’ve been here longer then some though. Is there something I can help you with?”

Strange. Strange. She seemed familiar to him, but familiar was as far as it got. He wasn’t sure he could recall her name, quarters, province of origin- any of it. And this was highly unusual. Odo near prided himself on his memory and his ability to keep up with all of the comings and going onboard the station.

But if she was lying, if she was so bold as to coat the truth in front of the the Head of Security and pass herself off as anything but a newcomer, then she was either overly confident or dangerous.