Fabricland? Fabrica? Wal-mart? Anything?

Posted on Mon Dec 13th, 2010 @ 7:36pm by

1,139 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: On Typhon Station
Location: Starbase Typhon Promenade

Yaneri scowled, as she read the list of stores available on the promenade.

"May I assist you with something, madame?" A clearly Vulcan-accented voice asked from behind her.

Yaneri turned. "Yeah. You would not happen to have like a fabricland, or fabrica, or wal-mart, or anywhere I could buy some sewing fabrics on this floating space tin, would you?"

The Vulcan, a Lieutenant Commander, quirked an eyebrow. "I am not aware of any such named stores on the promenade. You are looking for sewing fabrics? That's highly illogical. The replicator could produce it for you, could it not?"

"Always with the replicators, you Federation types." Yaneri said with a shake of her head. "Never had to make a scrap of clothing for yourself."

"Though I am, indeed, capable of doing so, it is an illogical time-involving effort. I have not seen the need in the past." The Vulcan noted.

"It is time-involving, and relaxing. That's why I do it. Logic be damned." Yaneri said, as she turned back to the Promenade database. "I need to replace my dress. This uniform chafes."

The Vulcan shook his head. "There is a Vulcan merchant, on the upper deck of the promenade. I understand he deals in fabrics, and other rare items. Perhaps you should consider visiting there."

Yaneri scowled. "Yeah. And perhaps you should take your Vulcan holier-than-thou attitude, and file it somewhere, with the appropriate paperwork attached, of course."

The Vulcan took a step back. "Madame, I did not intend to offend."

"'Lieutenant'." Yaneri noted. "Lieutenant Yaneri, of the Vigilant. Can you not count rank pips?"

"Can you?" The Vulcan asked. "Skylar. Lieutenant Commander Skylar, Chief Engineer, Starbase Typhon. And I was merely attempting to assist. Kevas, and other fabrics are a rare commodity to trade in on a replicator-equipped Starbase, as few people actually are interested in such items. It is hard to stay in business, if one does not have a readily available clientele."

Yaneri shrugged. "Whatever you say, Lieutenant Commander Points." She walked off.

Skylar quirked an eyebrow. "Fascinating."

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Yaneri finally came across Straum's Trading, after searching nearly every store, on foot, in the promenade.

"Welcome, traveler. Straum's trading, owned, and operated, by Straum, himself." A human woman said, as Yaneri approached.

"I'm just looking for some weird, and pretty fabric, to buy." Yaneri noted.

The Vulcan looked up. "Ah. Lieutenant, you have come to the right place. My business is opening, today, in fact."

"Then let's break out the credit chip, and drain it." Yaneri said. "Could never resist a good sale."

The Vulcan quirked an eyebrow. "My prices are normally at this rate. I do not alter prices for 'sales', unless they do not sell appropriately. All items are at a fairly modest profit margin."

Yaneri nodded, and entered the fairly warm store, and looked around. Her eye was drawn to a strange silverish colored fabric.

"What is this?" Yaneri asked, as she touched the fabric.

"It's a type of silk. The creature that makes it spins the silk, after ingesting various metallic ores, thus the strange metallic sheen of the fabric." The Vulcan noted.

"I told you this would be a wise course of action, Lieutenant." Came Lieutenant Commander Skylar's voice.

"Can it, boy. I'm shopping. Woman on a mission. Don't interfere, if you value your life." Yaneri said, not even turning. "Oh! What's that?"

"That is a type of woven grass. The unusual purple grass of Jentara IV is rather sturdy, though it is not especially adept at thermal insulation. What, precisely, are you using this fabric for?" Straum asked.

"I need a dress." Yaneri said with a nod. "It's for..."

"Say no more. You must be a seamstress. Come, I will show you some of the more wearable fabrics." Straum said with a nod.

Yaneri followed the man deeper into the store, and came across a collection of various fabrics, from atrocious, to stunningly beautiful. She finally came across something that was a strange color gold.

"What is this supposed to be?" Yaneri asked.

Straum scanned the ID tag. "That would be a very generic fabric from Rigel IV. Not the most expensive, nor luxurious. It is fairly good at thermal insulation, and stretches rather remarkably."

"I'll take a couple hundred square feet." Yaneri said with a nod.

"Would you care to browse some of the jewlery available?" Straum asked.

"Perhaps. Do you have anything sparkly?" Yaneri asked.

"Fire Gems. Diamonds. Quartz." Straum said.

"What are those?" Yaneri asked, looking at a pair of sparkly earrings.

"Those are Trillium earrings. Rather pricey, at 15,000 credits per earring." Straum noted.

"Well, I only need the one, anyways." Yaneri said, revealing the torn ear, with a brush of her hair.

"200 square feet of fabric, and a singular earring." Straum said. "Not bad, for my first customer."

"What is the total?" Yaneri asked, withdrawing her credit chip... from her brazier.

Straum quickly did the required calculations on a transaction terminal. "That would come to a grand total of 15,300 credits, madame."

Skylar quirked an eyebrow. "What is the purpose of the earring?" The Lieutenant Commander asked.

"Why, style, of course." Yaneri said with a nod. "It's rather stylish, and I like how it absorbs the light around it, leaving an almost shadow effect around it."

"It absorbs heat, light, and basic electricity." Straum said with a nod. "It leaves a somewhat cold, and darkened area around it, as the light can't escape the crystal."

Yaneri handed the credit chip over, and Straum processed the transaction.

"How, may I ask, on such a modest salary, does one such as yourself, find the funding to spend such fortunes?" Skylar asked.

"I have... investments." Yaneri said with a smile. "I won't explain further."

Straum nodded, and handed her the purchased items, carefully wrapped. "A pleasure doing business, madame."

"Straum, your control is faltering." Skylar noted.

"There are finer things in life to enjoy, Lieutenant Commander, than one's mental control over one's feelings." Straum said. "If there is nothing else, I have to finish organizing my store."

Yaneri nodded, and replaced her credit chip in it's original position. She carefully hefted the fabric, and placed her earring in the empty slot in her left ear. It had a weird tingling effect, and did, indeed, leave a section of that side of her face cold.

"Would you like assistance, Lieutenant?" Skylar asked.

"Yes. You can leave me right alone, and go off elsewhere, out of my presence." Yaneri said.

Skylar shook his head. "I do have other duties to attend." Skylar said, then, just as abruptly, walked away.

Yaneri turned around, but he was already gone.

"Well, hopefully the tea lady is feeling a bit calmer now." Yaneri noted.

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Lieutenant Commander Skylar
Chief Engineer
Starbase Typhon

Lieutenant Yaneri
Chief Operations Officer
USS Vigilant

Straum
Straum's trading, CEO
Starbase Typhon

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