—

  Replicators made cleaning the cart a snap. No charge for disposal, or buckets of soapy water either. That is just damned convenient. While cleaning out the kitchen, I made three trips to the replimat. On the first trip I got a bucket of soapy water. The second trip I returned that bucket back to the replicator filled with grease, burnt scraps and some of the debris customers leave. I went back to the shop with a new bucket of water and the process repeated till the restaurant was spotless.

  “Note to self, see if I can purchase a small replicator for waste disposal and plateware creation.”

  —

  Meanwhile on the operations deck, Jadzia Dax was scanning the station for chronoton particles.

  The device discovered earlier that day was on the worktable encased behind a biohazard containment field. Next to it was the vial of contaminated vaccine.

  On a plate a few feet away was a slider also behind a containment field.

  Jadzia looked at her monitor with concern then called out for the other senior staff to look at her findings.

  “Kria, and O'Brien take a look at these readings. I've been running a low level sweep of the station for chronoton and other high energy particles. A localized area of high intensity chronotons has appeared, moved around the station, then right before it would have been seen by the security patrol disappeared. The cameras in those locations also have been malfunctioning during the time those particles are there.”

  “Looks like we have evidence of an intruder, are they on the station now?” Said Kira while pulling up the docking information for any ships arriving or departing at the times when there were high chronoton particles

  “Did you really have to put the last slider behind a containment field?” O'Brian complained as his hands subconsciously reached for the last burger.

  “You had seven, I had two. I wanted to make sure I got my third” Jadzia replied with an accusatory smile.

  “I wouldn't have taken it.”

  “Lets say I believe you Miles. You aren't the only one in the room that's had more than their fair share.” Jadzia said as she looked over her shoulder at Kira.

  “They are good. Salty and greasy though. I think I ate too many they are setting hard on my stomach”

  “My grandfather called them Gut-busters. There was a place in San Francisco that sold greasy food like those sliders.”

  “There is a new burst of chronotons on the promenade near the replimat.”

  ‘It's probably some form of new Cardassian assassin trying to upset what stability we have’ Kira thought to herself.

  “Computer lock down all outgoing traffic. Authorization Kira-one.”

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  “Authorization verified all outgoing traffic has been halted and security locks applied to all docking clamps.” The computer responded.

  “Kira to Odo”

  “Odo here.”

  “We believe the time traveller saboteur has just appeared on the promenade sector 3. Be advised we believe they have a way to detect security officers and disappear.”

  “Understood, they might be tracking combadges. I'll have off duty officers in plain clothes without security badges, assist me.”

  —

  I finished the food prep for my business dinner with Rom, and was ready to do some clean up using my new favorite trick.

  I walked out to the replimat and ordered the largest bucket of soapy water that could be dispensed from the small replicator. For soap none of the name brands i was used to were programmed into the system. I have been using O'Brien’s industrial cleaner #3. The description said a water soluble soap appropriate for cleaning and sanitizing metallic surfaces. There was a strength slider on screen. I set it to 50%. It's a bit strong but it cuts through the grease quick.

  I was on the way back across the walkway to my restaurant when I bumped into someone and spilled the bucket of warm soapy water all over the both of us.

  The person was quite a bit shorter than me and I fell on top of them.

  The industrial cleaner #3 turned the thin carpet flooring into a slip and slide. Every time either one of us tried to get up we fell back onto one another, in a tractionless ball of cursing and elbows.

  I got hit in the jaw by one of their elbows and it pushed me just far enough away from the spill to get some footing.

  Once I stood up, I saw that I had accidentally tackled an old Ferengi man. It wasn't Zek. Small mercies. Zek was the current grand Nagus pretending to be dead to teach his son Krax a lesson.

  If I had injured Zek, I could kiss my idea of exporting food into the Ferengi markets goodbye.

  I apologized to the man and tried to help him up to his feet, but he pulled me back down. My feet slipped out from under me and I landed back on the man with a sickening crunch of cracked ribs.

  “Help! Medical assistance needed! Emergency!” I shouted at the top of my lungs. Thankfully Officer Luru and Odo were nearby and running up to assist.

  ‘Why do they have their phasers out?’ I wondered before another flying Ferengi elbow hit my eye and sent my head spinning.

  I was staring at the ceiling waiting on the station to stop spinning when I felt a pain in my side.

  “You fool, you cost me my only chance to change everything! You broke it! You broke it!”

  The old Ferengi man yelled as he stabbed me over and over with something.

  Phaser fire hit him and he fell over on top of me.

  He was stunned. At least I hope he was just stunned. That guy was old. It's hard to guess Ferengi's age, but he looked older than Zek.

  Regardless of how old he was, he was heavy. I tried to lift him off of me but my left arm was weak.

  Luru pulled the unconscious Ferengi off of me then looked at me in shock.

  “Luru, to Doctor Bashir. We need you in front of the replimat. Egman has been stabbed.”

  Moments later the doctor and his ensign nurse of the day showed up and waved their magic science wands at me.

  “He's lost a lot of blood. That device stuck in him is preventing the medical transporter from beaming him to sick bay. We will need a stretcher.” said Doctor Bashir.

  Odo formed his arms into something like a fork lift and lifted me an inch off the ground. Then I just glided along the floor.

  I think I was transported by Odo puddle. “How nice. I'll never compare him to my griddle grease again.” I said out loud.

  “He's in shock. 20 ccs of metorapan.”

  Suddenly everything stopped feeling bad. The world was fuzzy gumdrops and sugar sparkles.

  “Oh the doctor is a chocolate cupcake man!”

  —