Myriad Universes 02_ Echoes and Refractions - Keith R. A. DeCandido [134]
Glancing over at the dal-who still had the same sour expression, as if his fish juice had gone off-Damar said, “Tell Karris that the antiproton scan is her top priority.”
“Why? There’s still maintenance work to be done on three of the upper pylons, the replicators on the habitat ring are still malfunctioning, and-”
“I don’t care,” Damar snapped. “Gul Dukat’s orders were clear.”
Kalec glowered at Damar. “Gul Jasad is staying on the habitat ring while his ship is repaired. He’s the one who’s been complaining about the replicators. For that matter, Karris is currently on his ship, trying to figure out what’s wrong with his dilithium chamber. Do I take her off that?”
“Yes,” Damar said. “I’ll take responsibility-and I’ll talk to Jasad. Just get it done, Kalec.”
Making an exaggerated bow, Kalec said, “As the prefect commands, sir.” Then he turned on his heel and left the office.
Within half an hour, naturally, Jasad was contacting him directly. “What is the meaning of this?”
Deciding to be deliberately obtuse to make it clear just how unimportant Jasad was, Damar said, “The meaning of what, Gul?”
“The repair crews have departed my ship, and a technician has yet to report to my quarters to repair the replicator unit!”
“I’m sorry, Gul, but I’m afraid our maintenance schedule-”
“This isn’t maintenance! These are repairs that I was told would be given top priority! We are on a critical mission, and we need to be space-worthy as soon as possible. What’s more, this replicator refuses to give me anything edible!”
“Regarding the replicator, Gul, I suggest you go to Rom’s Bar or the replimat-I’m sure they will have food to your liking. In fact, if you go to Rom’s, anything you order there will be on the house.”
“Really?” That seemed to mollify the gul somewhat-but only for a moment. “Still, there is the matter of my ship. I demand that-”
“I’m sorry, Gul, but that’s truly the best I can do. Your ship will be repaired as soon as we can get to it.”
“They had already gotten to it, until you removed the technicians!” Jasad frowned. “Who exactly are you? One of Dukat’s flunkies? I want to speak to Dukat.”
Damar felt the muscles in his neck tighten against the bone. “I’m afraid Gul Dukat isn’t on station at the moment, but my instructions do come directly from him. There is a security concern that requires significant upgrades to Terok Nor’s sensor array. I’m afraid they now have top priority.”
“What kind of security concern?”
“I’m not at liberty to discuss that on an open channel, Gul. Suffice it to say, if we do not implement these upgrades, then your ship will have much greater problems than a faulty dilithium chamber.”
Jasad scowled. “You’re just a dalin-I’m supposed to believe-”
“What you believe is of very little interest to me, Gul. Right now, I have a station to run.”
“I have friends, Dalin, friends who will not appreciate my being treated in so cavalier a manner by someone who has delusions above his station.”
“Right now, Gul Jasad, Terok Nor is my station-and it will remain such until I am relieved by Gul Dukat. Feel free to contact whatever friends you want, but this conversation is over.”
With that, he signed off.
Then he went to the replicator and ordered a full carafe of kanar. With a trembling hand, he grabbed the carafe the second it materialized with a mild hum and starting gulping it down, hoping it would slow his racing heart.
I’m not ready for this, he thought. Dukat, why did you do this to me?
After drinking half the carafe, Damar contacted Rom and told him to let Jasad have whatever he wanted on the house. Rom tried to negotiate that down to only drinks, not games or holosuites, but Damar insisted-and reminded Rom of the half-dozen favors the Ferengi owed Damar, favors that had kept Rom out of a holding cell. That got the barkeep