Shades of Grey - Part 8

“It may please you to know that I have been gathering quite a few connections in the Gamma Quadrant, but one can only do so much from afar. It is time for me to forge those connections face to face, and I do believe you might be the man to facilitate that goal.”

“Face to face, as in you going there yourself? I mean, if you want to make those connections in person, I'm not one to stop you. Im guessing that means you want to do it on board the Dutchman.” He hadn't exactly planned on taking around passengers of sorts but if it got him the core, she could ride around on board just about as long as she wanted. At that point, Zedd wasn't worried about it then.

“That would be the plan, yes,” Tiraa nodded. “I could simply be a passenger… or perhaps I could be of more help to you, if that would be something you’d be interested and need.”

Zedd knew better than to not take as much advantage of an opportunity as possible. She'd likely be great working next to him, it was very likely she had resources and abilities that would supplement him and the crew extremely well.

“I need a First Officer. It would be good cover for what you likely will bring to the table and will need to engage in. Draws less suspicion, I mean if you want all of this to remain under wraps, make you less of a target, the less others know. It's not like we're running extensive background checks and opportunists are everywhere.”

“Let’s just say I’m not looking to fly the Syndicate flag loud and proud, hm?” She chuckled softly. “I do hope you are at least somewhat looking into the people you are hiring and not taking any unfortunate wretch off the street. That is a good way to get a knife in your back and the Dutchman a new captain.”

“I have my methods, we do require a certain skillset. As you know, I am a pirate. We learn to keep our eyes and ears open everywhere. The last thing I need is a possible mutiny when someone decides a particular cargo or job is too much for them. Believe it or not I do have a few rules, but not many. At the end of the day, latinum is what matters. It helps keep the crew as loyal as possible. Someone peaks up and starts messing with someone else's livelihood that is well taken care of… let’s just say those problems tend to resolve themselves.”

Zedd took another sip almost out of habit and then looked around again. She was giving up all of this to go run around on a ship that at the moment was lucky to hold its own. But what did it matter to him if things were looking to be mutually beneficial.

There was something about the look on Tiraa’s face that said she was about to argue some point, but instead she let it go and simply sipped her drink again. Loyalty to a person and loyalty to latinum were very different beasts, and in time it would be a lesson he would learn as all in their walk of life. “You want me to be your First Officer, hm? What exactly would that entail? I do hope you aren’t trying to play Starfleet and expect to be called sir.”

Zedd laughed at that, short and genuine, and set his glass down. "Sir is for people who need the title to feel like they have the authority. If I am doing my job right nobody on my ship needs to be reminded who is in charge." He leaned back in his chair and looked at her directly. "What it entails is simple enough. You keep the crew sorted when I am focused elsewhere and you make sure I know what I need to know. I do not need someone to manage me. I need someone who can handle everything else."

He picked back up his glass and turned it in his hands. "What I actually need is someone with reach. Contacts. The kind of access to contracts and opportunities that do not get advertised through the usual channels. You have been operating in this quadrant long enough to know where the work is and who has it. That is worth more to me than anything else you could bring aboard."

Zedd then sat his glass down and held her gaze. "I have a ship that needs a computer core upgrade among other things. I have a feeling that is not a problem for someone in your position. Whatever else you have going on is your business as long as it does not put us all at major risk." He paused. "So. Do you want the job or are we going to keep dancing around it?"