Highwaij Five-O"
By: Highwaij, Crewman, [PST]
Melissa Jarvis, Chief Security Officer, [RNPC]

Stardate: 58206.25 2200

Highwaij made his way though the almost abandoned ship. He entered Cargo Bay Five and moved to Section Zero and smiled a toothy smile. It would not be long now, he thought, soon he would have his profit. He needed to recover the stolen phaser rifles. They would fetch him a fairly good price.

His eyes scanned the numerous stacked cases. He noted that someone had rearranged the cargo bay since he last checked on his wares. It took a few minutes but his sharp eyes finally spotted the case. Standing on top of another container he pulled down the case. He looked around, there was still no one around. Highwaij carefully opened the case and looked at it's contents. Everything was as he had left it. He closed the case and turned to leave and almost ran smack dab into Melissa Jarvis who much to his surprise was standing right behind him.

"Hello Ensign," said Jarvis, "What have you got there."

Highwaij saw his profits evaporating, "what I have here..." he said slowly and with pause as he studied Jarvis closely.

*does the Human know what I have? Did she see me?*

"...is..."

His eyes squinted as he sought answers that could perhaps yet save the day: He smiled a toothy smile as he remembered the 239th Rule of Acquisition" Never be afraid to mislabel a product."

"...are..."

His hand patted the box, "...are some damaged things..."

He knew he was out on a limb. It could be the end of a yet-to-be profitable career.

"...I was going to take them to the station to see if they could be repaired."

Melissa crossed her arms over her chest, "Really," she said, "What kind of things?"

His eyes squinted again has he thought about his predicament. He knew he could be in serious trouble over this, but a ferengi without profit is no ferengi at all.

Melissa let her arms slide off her chest. Her hand came to rest on the hilt of her holstered phaser, "Ensign, please open the case," she said keeping her voice calm.

He unlatched the case and slowly opened it, "they are some phasers that could be repaired..."

The Frengi couldn't tell if the Security Chief was buying it. She had to buy it, she was only a female. Even though she was a *human* female, he was certainly smarter than she was...

"It would be such a waste if they were just destroyed..."

Melissa walked over to the case and picked up one of the phasers. She noticed that it's Maquis markings had been removed. She looked the weapon over and then activated it's power cell. "I wonder how much a person could get for a weapon like this," she mused, pointing the weapon at the Ferengi. "If it worked, that is."

Thirty-third rule of Acquisition: It never hurts to suck up to the boss. He smiled, it was good to be Ferengi.

He held up his hands defensively and slowly circled to the left around to the other side of the case.

"Such a good idea Melissa," he said putting his hands together, "we easily could get a few bars of latnium each if we sold them."

Melissa sighed, "Too bad they do not work, isn't it."

"Well," he gestured, "I'm sure they can be repaired, *that's* why I'm taking them...." he let his voice trail off to hide in vagueness.

Melissa shook her head, "And then you will sell them and be a rich Ferengi."

There was no longer the smell of profit in the wind. Instead the wind was suddenly blowing the wrong way again.

"Of course not..." he said exaggerating a shrug, "I-I would never dream of stealing property of Maquis." His lobes deepened as he feigned a frown, pretending to be offended, "surely you are not insinuating that I would ever do such a thing."

Melissa, still holding the phaser on the Ferengi aimed just above his left lobe and fired. The Phaser that was supposed to be broken fired. A red bolt arched thought the air and just over the Ferengi's head.

Highwaij ducked and held up his hands and cringed. More than loosing profit he feared death or dismemberment. "Don't shoot, don't..."

An unauthorized discharge of a weapon on the Zion will sound and alarm, and in this case it did just that. Melissa began counting. Her crew should be here in quick time. "Well would you look at that it works Highwaji."

Cowering sideways slightly, he replied, "how fortunate... that one won't need to be repaired." He said holding on to his lie.

The doors opened and 4 gold uniformed security guards entered with their phasers drawn. "Arrest mister Highwaji," she ordered them.

"Wait!" he exclaimed, "I found this..this female trying to steal these weapons for a profit. You see..." he said pointing, "she has a phaser which came from this case. She's cleverly removed the serialization from them to hide her tracks. But she's not so clever, I've caught her."

Melissa eyes the Ferengi with disgust. She used all of her self control to keep from knocking the little rodent back to Ferenginar. "Mister Simpson," she called out, "Come here please."

Simpson stepped out from behind a row of storage containers and stood in front of Melissa. "Yes Ma'am," he said.

"I asked miser Simpson to monitor tonight's events in case there was some misunderstanding," she explained. "Do you agree with the Ferengi's assessment of tonight's events," she asked him.

"No Ma'am," he said, "It is the other way around," he said, "You confronted him about the weapons. Caught him red handed."

Melissa smiled, "Mister Highwaji, I told you that I would be keeping my eye on you. Did you really think you would get away with my weapons?"

"I swear, I was just going to have them fixed." he said changing his story again.

"Take him away," she ordered.