“Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.”

John F. Kennedy

“You and your people are not welcome here Captain.” Said the hard – faced woman on the viewscreen with such resolute finality as to indicate that the conversation was indeed at an end, before it could even have been said to have begun.

Captain Raveen Shavda was both a veteran of the Dominion War and of numerous First & Second Contact operations and fancied that she herself knew a thing or two about negotiating from a position of power and correctly surmised that Chief Administrator Gorman was a master of the bluff.

The USS Hikaru Sulu had dropped out of warp at the very edge of The Belt, able at least to move like a lab-rat in a confounding maze in the small volume of space afforded to it – that The Blackout had not denied to them by virtue of its mysterious ability to render subspace impassable and impenetrable.

Both Raveen and Chief Administrator Natalia Gorman of the Bactra – Angelus Extractive GbmH Mining Corporation knew that the massive Odyssey – class Heavy Explorer that currently loomed at the periphery of the Asteroid Belt that mantled the system, had the resources, capability and firepower to level the habitat of ‘Riordan’s Rock’ many times over.

Conversely, these causal antagonists knew that the CO was equally as bound by Starfleet Rules of Engagement and Federation Law not to intentionally initiate any hostile action against a non – member sovereign – entity, such as that that the independent Terran mining company represented, without due provocation.

On Galactic terms, it was quintessentially a text-book ‘Mexican – Standoff’, with no discernible course of détente seemingly likely.

“I had somehow already formed that distinct impression, Chief Administrator.” Raveen’s mouth twisted wryly and she subdued the impulse to signal her frustration at this impasse by drumming her fingertips on the armrest of the captain’s– chair.

Upon entering the territory under charter of Bactra – Angelus, the USS Hikaru Sulu had encountered a lone mining – barge – the IMV “Tycho – Ridge” holding station at the entry to the morass of wheeling rock leviathans that constituted the Dilithium – rich asteroid – field that the miners so jealously hoarded, mined & processed as part of their livelihood.

With workworn and battered hull plating down her flanks, the impulse – capable mining – barge had a shield generator comparable to that of the Odyssey, sitting atop the heavily armored hull. A sensible precaution when your workplace consisted of millions of metric – tonnage of careening and cartwheeling rock that could pulverize the unwary in moments.

The powerful industrial – mining phaser that sat on a central spinal mount down the keel of the barge posed little tactical threat in return to the Starfleet vessel, but served to give further parity to the standoff as the two vessels faced off over thousands of kilometers – virtually knife – fighting distances in comparative cosmological terms.

Raveen knew that in and of itself, the “Tycho – Ridge” itself did not constitute a credible tactical threat, but then she had not just come down in the last meteor – shower herself and knew that (if they had survived unmolested by the Vaadwaur thus long) the Terran free – state ship only constituted part of a more cohesive defensive strategy and implied threat.

“I kind of got the hint when our routine sensor sweep detected the proliferation of asteroids in the vicinity that coincidentally seem to accommodate a manifest of Tri-cobalt Mining charges rigged to their cores.” Raveen nodded acknowledgement to her Tactical Officer, Lieutenant Kan Zh’Vharess and then looked back to the impassive Chief Administrator on the main viewscreen.

“Such devices are considered illegal in the Federation.” She added meaningfully.

Natalia Goran shrugged easily in her office on the Riordan’s Rock habitat, situated near the heart of The Belt.

“It may have escaped your attention, Captain.” The tough – looking miner looked non-plussed as she explained levelly. “That you aren’t in Federation space. This volume is sovereign territory under common – charter, we can mine what we like, how we like it and your ‘Law’s’ mean nothing here. I will re-iterate, if you still are struggling with the concept Captain Shavda – Starfleet has no authority here. You are not welcome and you are instructed to depart this system immediately.”

Commander Jensen Wing raised an eyebrow and looked over at his CO and friend. In his long experience working with Raveen, you could never be quite sure how the Captain would respond when pressed thusly. In the XO’s experience, it could one of two ways.

Captain Raveen Shavda placed her slim, dark hands in her lap and leaned forward with a slightly quizzical look creasing her subcontinental features, adding some extra lines around her eyes to compliment those that age had placed there.

“And what if I don’t?” Raveen challenged quietly.

The Chief Administrator blinked, slightly taken – aback by this reaction, but she quickly rallied.

“Then you would be in breach of numerous articles of Galactic Law and a hypocrite to boot – something I shouldn’t be surprised to hear from Federation bully – boys like yourselves but rest assured Captain. We have forged a life out of hardship with the vacuum as our only constant – you may find that any attempt to dislodge us might not be as easy as you might suppose.”

Raveen steepled her slim fingers in front of her face and Jensen groaned inwardly.

“Firstly, Chief Administrator, “Raveen said, making every word carry meaning. “This is an Odyssey-class Starship. If I so desired I could disable your ship here and the others that you have hiding in The Belt, without so much as spilling my tea here.” The CO held up her cup in her other hand and indicated to it.

“I could disable your improvised explosive picket with equal ease and then ease my big assed ship into your precious asteroid field, carving a passage right through to your office where I could press my case to you personally with equal earnestness.”

Goran’s eyes flashed in indignation, but she kept her own thin – lipped counsel for now.

“In fact, I would just as easily use the considerable weapons system capacity of this vessel to just needlessly destroy the entire fiscal value of this entire asteroid field – rendering your corporation a company without a product to sell.” Raveen frowned poignantly, knowing that the Miner’s pockets were not so deep that the concept of tearing a hole in their profit – margin was an outcome that was tenable for them.

But she waved her hand dismissively and smiled thinly.

“And do you know what? No one would even know. You’re cut off, we’re cut off from the rest of the Galaxy.” She cocked her head  to one side. “If we ever come out of this alive, I could just say that the Vaadwaur Supremacy just wiped you all from the face of existence and no one would probably even bat an eyelid.”

Raveen sat back in her chair and nodded.

“But the thing is Chief Administrator, I don’t even need to do all of that. All I need to do is follow your invitation to depart the system and in a short matter of time the Vaadwaur will return to this place and do what they have been doing everywhere they go and they will do all these things to you and they will do so with considerably more pleasure than it would bring me to do it myself.”

Goran’s face was a veritable study of cold hatred but still she remained silent, obviously processing the validity of Raveen’s scenario.

“You’re right, in that Starfleet has no authority here.” Captain Shavda nodded sagely. “That barn door swings both ways. That means that I have no obligation to render you military – aid if I don’t choose to. You sat back and watched from afar when the Vaadwaur laid down destruction on your neighbors on New Providence. You’ve had time to do the math and work out your chances of persevering against a superior military force such as the Supremacy has at their disposal. You wouldn’t be in business if you were no good at assessing the risk and balancing the odds.

“What do you think your odds are, currently, Chief Administrator?” Raveen smiled disarmingly. “Because, from where I’m sitting, it doesn’t look like your investors will be recouping much value on their returns.”

“That’s a fantastic line in bullshit that you’re peddling there Captain.” Natalia Goran clapped slowly and laughed without much evident humor.

“But the fact that you are sitting there, all alone in your “Big – assed – ship” on my doorstep spinning that crap – tells me that you need us just as much as you think we need you.” The Chief Experience placed her hands on her desk. “You can’t take on the Vaadwaur all by yourself, else we wouldn’t be having this ludicrous conversation?”

Goran sat back in her own chair and raised a challenging eyebrow.

“Damn straight I’m a good businesswoman, Captain, that much you got right.” The Mining executive regarded Raveen coldly. “If you’ve got a pitch more substantial than the hot air you’ve been venting, I’m willing to hear it – otherwise why don’t you just take your massive starship and cram it right up your smug asshole.”

Raveen smiled to herself, under different circumstances, she could begrudgingly come to actually like this woman.

“I propose a mutual defence pact.” The CO countered. “The Vaadwaur got their noses bloodied, but they will be back to finish the job and the deuterium that you mine here presents an irresistible prize that they cannot,  will not resist.”

The Chief Administrator shook her head.

“Still not hearing the hook, Captain, say we did decide to join forces with you and lock horns with the Vaadwaur, when the battle is over you have us at a distinct disadvantage?’ Goran shook her head dismissively.

“I hadn’t finished with my proposal…” Raveen interjected reasonably.

Goran looked impassive but nodded.

“I wait with bated breath – go on?”

Raveen settled back into her seat and continued.

“We currently have over 800 colonists aboard, survivors from the Vaadwaur attack on New Providence. As part of our agreement, you will give these Cardassian’s asylum during any engagement with hostile forces. I can’t very well go to war with a hold full of Civilians aboard.”

Natalia Goran’s face was a mask of incredulous shock as she retorted.

“You must be out of your goddamned, fucking MIND – if you think I’m about to allow a bunch of fucking ‘Skinnies’ aboard my station!” The woman actually spat on her own floor. “Damn! My own people would Airlock me, if I even suggested such a thing! In case you haven’t gathered Captain, we love containment – failures, cancer, Starfleet and goddamned fucking ‘Skinnies’ about as much as each other and not necessarily in that order!!!”

Raveen sighed inwardly. She was fully acquainted with popular sentiment towards the Cardassian’s by the non – aligned worlds of the Former Demilitarized Zone. Had she not fought against the forces of the High Command during the Dominion War?

The difference was that she, that Starfleet refused to be dominated by the sins of the past and were dedicated to moving past their former prejudices, rather than let them constrain and define their future.

“These are the self – same ‘Skinnies’ that you people have been trading with for comestibles, at an exorbitantly unequal rate of exchange, I gather?” Raveen ventured.

“And what of it?” Goran snapped impatiently, growing to detest this bloody Starfleet stooge quite profoundly, in the short time she had had the misfortune to know her.

“Well…” Raveen shrugged, “Had you taken a more altruistic interest in the fortunes of your neighbors, you may have noted that – since the Vaadwaur razed their community and their crops to the ground – that they are not exactly in any position to provide you with trade anymore?”

The Chief Administrator shook her head dismissively.

“We have supplies, Captain.” Goran challenged. “We’re not quite as stupid as you may think. We can ‘weather the storm’ for a very long time.”

Raveen kept her own counsel about how stupid she thought that the decision – makers of the Bactra – Angelus Extractive GbmH Mining Corporation might really be, but she pursed her lips and pressed on.

“Thing is Chief Administrator, we made certain overtures to assist  the settlers of New Providence with restoration works, once this conflict is concluded. True, this does entail enabling the resumption of their agricultural operations, but we have also promised to assist them with securing an autonomous power – source. So they won’t be needing to buy your Deuterium, at any price.”

Chief Administrator Goran just gaped, to incredulous to retort. Raveen pressed home her advantage.

“Tell me Chief Administrator? Just how good does Deuterium ore taste?”

“You – fucking – bitch !” The Terran mining executive floundered.

Captain Raveen Shavda laughed easily, her careworn Indian features betraying no inner satisfaction (at least outwardly).

“Oh, Chief Administrator – you have no idea! Truly!” the Starfleet CO laughed but then raised a cautionary finger.

“But, as a Starfleet Captain of an isolated vessel, during a state of war, I have standing orders that permit me an extraordinary amount of lassitude and leeway in what I am able to promise and, in fact, deliver. Apart from you agreeing to assist us from the veritable goodness of your own heart – I would not expect you to do so without suitable reparations made.”

“In return for your mutual cooperation in a limited defence pact and for giving temporary asylum to the people of New Providence aboard your station, I will reciprocate that good faith by dedicating the people and resources aboard this ship to providing the people of Riordan’s Rock with a fully self – sustaining hydroponic facility that will ensure a source of food for your people in perpetuity – therefore removing your reliance on punitive trade with New Providence.”

Chief Administrator Goran peered suspiciously at Raveen from the viewscreen.

“How do I know we can trust you?”

Raveen spread her hands out disarmingly.

“We’ll have a contract drawn up. You people seem overly fond of those?”

Goran shook her head, playing hardball.

“No good enough.” The wily Administrator bargained. “We want industrial replicators and their activation codes.”

Now it was Raveen’s turn to laugh out loud.

“Now who’s the fantasist?” The CO shook her head. “Never going to happen. But I have a counter proposal that may make your tits perk up, Chief Administrator?”

“I’m listening.”

“I propose that the Federation will make a commitment to purchase your corporation’s entire unprocessed  Deuterium production output for the next fiscal quarter at double the current market price. That should take some of the sting out of swallowing your pride?” Raveen proposed.

Goran shook her head. “At five times the projected market price for the next Financial year.”

Raveen rolled her eyes and counter – bargained “At three times the actual market price for the next three fiscal – quarters, with a bonus for production surplus guarantored in pressed – Latinum. My final offer.”

Commander Wing stared at the Captain, utterly dumbfounded. Had Raveen taken leave of her senses? His moustache twitched in consternation, but the Executive Officer held his tongue. The Captain would have made a fine Ferengi.

There was an indeterminable pause that seemed to hang in the vacuum that separated them, pregnant with decision, then – with a thin smile, Chief Administrator Natalia Goran said.

“In that case, Welcome to The Belt, Captain Shavda.”