"I am Professor Shell of the Independent science institute. She introduced herself even as she struggled to calm herself. "I have a business proposition for you." "You?" Navarre stared at her with doubt in his eyes. "You're going to have to explain that to me in a bit more detail." "My colleagues and I were on an expedition that went very badly, and now we find ourselves and our carrier without a transport vessel." "And so you sought me out?" Navarre was puzzled. "When I learned that you had been raised by a Klingon officer, I knew you would be a man of your word and honor." She drew a deep breath. "I am stacking our lives on that belief." "Dangerous assumption out here, Professor. But in this case, you are correct." "We can pay. Not as much as some, but handsomely, I think." She stared at him calmly, even as desperation was starting to claw at her chest, "That's all a matter of where it is that you're wanting to go." Now she froze for a moment; knowing this was the crucial part of her proposition. "A planet called Ferrone." She stared at him, observing his unchanged expression. "You know of it?" "Out in the fringe regions." He responded. "Lots of pirate activity in those regions." "I can arrange for escorts once we reach the Fringe boundaries." "And carry permits?" "That's the tricky part." She drew a slow deep breath. "We need to do this under the table, so to say." "You're hiding." He nodded slowly. "Dangerous, and could cost me the permits I had just obtained. That would make the cost a bit higher for me to take such a gamble." "Best I can do is six and a half million latinum." "I see." Navarre sat his drink on the table and stared at the deep red contents for a moment. "Okay. Let's play this game then." "Excellent. Can we leave as soon as possible?" Professor Shell beamed with excitement. "All we have to do is board." "And then I can direct you to where the carrier is." The Oriental woman spoke for the first time. "My vessel is the Orpheus." Navarre stated with surprising pride, even to himself. "Take a shuttle there. We will depart for the ship in an hour. So give us three hours to prep and head over." "A shuttle?" The Oriental stared at him questioningly. "Transporters are down at the moment." Navarre grinned.