SIM:David Cody SIMs Point of Origin
| USS Athena |
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| David Cody |
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Personal Logs · Medical Records |
((Ngnorgott Station, Stardate 237804.30))
A younger, not-so-long turned twenty-six years old David Cody stood at the airlock door, motionless and silent while studying not just his reflective image, but the battered old freighter leaving dock. He didn’t display remorse, or any preconceived notions of taking back what he knew had been a fair deal... he just wished Captain Nathan hadn’t been forced into the choice. Ten years...
Eight years, working up to one of the Skiptrace’s premiere trade investigators.
One very fat shadow approached Cody from behind. He didn’t have to see, smell, hear, feel or taste to know who stood behind him. Turning around, he studying the grossly overweight Ferengi, holding a collar that meaty hand of his.
Cody: ::smirking:: I think you got the worst end of this deal.
Tvatec smirked in kind.
Tvatec: Oh... I think I got the best end of it. It’s not every day the Ferengi are graced by a family member of Jennet Trade Securities Corporation... what a glorious day.
Cody: You have no advantage. JTSC doesn’t belong to me, and why you wanted to bond me escapes even my logic. You have no way of compelling me.
Tvatec: So you think, David... so you think. ::handing him the collar:: Put this on.
Cody: I’m not property.
Tvatec: Put it on. Otherwise, some Ferengi might shoot you on sight. Barbara Jennet’s reach doesn’t extend out here. It’s just as much for your protection as it is mine.
Cody took the collar and examined it... a decorative, but ugly choker type. It wasn’t uncommon for men to wear necklace types... and he needed to come up with a considerable sum of money that Tvatec just lost before he’d be able to buy off his bond. No... the Ferengi wasn’t going to let him out of that beady eyed sight.
He found the clasp joint and opened the collar, searching the inside rim with a rub of a finger. No tiny holes for any kind of flesh-binding control... but he could feel something pulsing inside the construction. Giving the fat Ferengi a calculating look, David reluctantly attached the collar around his neck.
Tvatec beamed.
Tvatec: There... you see? Nothing bad... not really.
David felt a curious sensation suddenly surge his attention. His eyes flared slightly and came more into focus as he took in a fast breath.
Cody: Wh-what is this thing?
Tvatec: Ah... glad you asked. Rather ingenious little thing. You see, I really like I have a bona fide investigator. Even better, one who specializes in trade. The Ferengi, you see, we like keeping what we have unless we can get a premium of course. But alas... so many of our brethren occasionally like to just pocket things... and create false bills of lading.
He couldn’t describe it... but if David didn’t know better, it felt like he was on an adrenalin rush. Everything was sharper... a greater detail of focus. A drug?
Cody: What is thing giving me?
Tvatec: Oh, that’s harmless... for the most part. It’s more important that the other Ferengi see that collar. It tells them that you work for one. But if you’re really curious, it’s just feeding you adrenalin, David. Now... ::handing Cody a padd:: This is an itemized list of everything that was either taken from me, or swindled. I want you to track them down and bring them back. Simple, really. I have a ship for your disposal right now.
Cody: ::narrowing his eyes:: You’re giving me a ship...
Tvatec: Of course... I can trust you. You’re not just going to fly out and never return, now are you? Adrenalin is perfectly harmless, but it works wonders when you need to accomplish something in a given time period... Time is money, after all. If your adrenalin levels are at peak performance...
It hit with a gust of wind. Cody’s jaw dropped as he suddenly realized... keep those levels up, he wouldn’t need sleep.
Cody: ::working his jaw:: And you have the key to the collar.
Tvatec: I need to know. How long do you humans go without sleep before suffering after-effects?
He had to think... they had covered sleepless cycles in the final years before finishing his primary education, as teens had a habit of going for days without sleep finishing mid and final terms... how many days did his old professor say the body could go without sleep? Six... seven days before the psychosis process began?
Cody: Six... seven days max.
Tvatec stepped out of David’s way and motioned out the window to a smaller craft. It was of a Ferengi designation he didn’t recognize.
Tvatec: Then that’s how long you have to retrieve what was stolen from me... we’ll call this a test run. But if you’re even half of what your mother is, shouldn’t be a problem for you.
His arms and legs shook. David got the surge under some margin of control before giving Tvatec a penetrating stare.
Cody: On one condition... otherwise I’ll just deal and let psychosis set in.
Tvatec: ::shooting those broad eye ridges wide:: Which is?
Cody: Confirmation and proof these belong to you. Interstellar trade law specifies I can work within specific parameters if the item in question is indeed stolen, which means if you play it by the book, no cheating, no forgery, no lies... the law works in your favor. First lie you make, I’ll end it. And I will find out.
Tvatec met David’s stare. Something was going on inside that head of his.
Tvatec: What do you need to verify this is a true claim?