My Uncle is Mental!

Posted on Mon 15th May, 2017 @ 3:16am by
Edited on on Sun 10th Dec, 2017 @ 11:13pm

643 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Unity Week
Location: Deck 1551, The River
Timeline: MD-0
Tags: gar, trav

My uncle is mental, Gar thought as he stared dejectedly at the main dock of his Uncle Trav's new barge company. Technically, it was also his and his Aunt Morva's, too, as they were all partners in the new business.

Who in the nine hells starts a barge company on a starbase?! There's nothing here! It's just back and forth, and back and forth, from the mall to the orchards, all day long, like food delivery or a fixed-route city bus service. It's...it's NOTHING! There's no way to expand this business. The profits will be limited. What is he thinking? Has he gone senile? What do I do?

Gar winced as a hand clapped him on his shoulder. "Isn't she beautiful, my boy?" his Uncle Trav said, beaming from lobe to lobe as he gazed at his flagship barge, fresh from its final paint job. It was red and white, with the word Contentment written in both Ferengi and in Federation Standard, painted in red on the white portion of the 90-foot barge's bow.

Contentment, Gar fumed. That's exactly what is wrong with him. No Ferengi should ever be content, save as a very temporary condition after having closed a profitable deal. But contentment with a barge that goes nowhere? I want to scream!

The worst thing was, Trav really did look content. He was the sweetest-faced member of their people that Gar had ever seen. Joy oozed from him, for no good reason that Gar could make sense of. And because of that joy, which he could not bear to crush, Gar let out a breath, forced himself to relax, and replied, "She certainly is, Uncle."

"They're supposed to be done painting yours this afternoon. I think the Aspiration is the perfect name for it. You're young; you should aspire to do great things." Trav gave a happy sigh. "Oh, I can't wait for the grand opening! Your aunt is beside herself, cooking up a storm. Tonight, for the opening of the Slug & Grub, she's going to serve flaked blood flea, with slug steak smothered in yamok sauce, and snail juice! It's been forever since I had blood flea!"

"Sounds wonderful," Gar said. The thought of his Aunt Morva's barge-based restaurant(s) did lift his spirits a little. The barges might go nowhere, but people liked to eat. He always loved the smell of his aunt's marinated, broiled gree-worm. Pair that with a raktajino, and there was breakfast.

Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as he thought--but it certainly would never be enough. No, he did indeed aspire to more--much more. Surely there had to be some kind of side business he could get into. People came from all over local space to shop at Vanguard's famed Promenade--especially now that Starfleet had taken it back from the Federation civilian idiots. They had let Vanguard get dilapidated, and now Starfleet was raking in all the profit that the FCDA could have had. Gar's lips twisted in a momentary sneer.

"You need help with anything, Uncle?" Gar asked.

"No, I think we've pretty much got everything handled," Trav said. "Good preparation leads to good profit, after all. I think I'm going to persuade your lovely aunt to join me for a Slug-o-Cola and some sushi. She's been slaving away all morning. She ought to get some rest before the big to-do. So should you."

Gar shot Trav a sidelong glance. "I'd like to take a stroll around the Promenade, if you don't mind," he said. "I do my best thinking in marketplaces."

Trav chuckled. "You do that, Nephew! Be back here in a couple of hours, though. I want you present when your barge is brought in."

Trav
Partner, Tivoli River Barge Company

Gar
Partner, Tivoli River Barge Company

 

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