Double, double toil and trouble

Posted on 02 May 2026 @ 8:39pm by Lieutenant Ryan Collingway
Edited on on 03 May 2026 @ 1:50am

463 words; about a 2 minute read

///Starbase 369////

The Ferengi, Gaila, was both overweight and lazy. When it came time to bring her heavy iron cauldron into the tent, she of course enlisted Starfleet maintenance to set it up for her. "Thank you, my good lads. You would make your commanders proud. Now, off with you. Carnival secrets," she said with a lazy wave. She watched them go before filling up the cauldron. A good source of it was water and Andorian tea leaves for flavoring, along with some Vulcan ones. Gaila didn't know if that created any cultural taboo, but she also didn't care.

But the final ingredient...that's where the magic happened. On a makeshift shelf were several vials of blue liquid. She grabbed the first one, and emptied it into the cauldron. She watched as the water briefly turned blue, and smiled.

She was open for business.

///One hour later////

Ensign Walker was walking around the carnival, having done a shift of repair work aboard Arawyn. She was a fine ship, no doubt about it.

But ultimately the Starbase was his home.

He glanced at the tents dismissively, until he saw one tucked away from the rest. 'Gaila's Fortunes.' Curiosity prompted him to enter.

"Good evening, young man," Gaila said, leaning against a stool a and smoking from a pipe. The air was thick with it. "Would you like to know your future?"

"How?" Walker asked, eyeing the cauldron. "Are you going to read my tea leaves?"

"Ha! No. No, this water you see here is water taken from the great temple of Boreth itself." She leaned forwards. "At great personal risk to my contacts, I might add. And I'll let you sample a taste for five credits."

Walker thought about it, and shrugged. Eh, why the hell not. Truth be told, he could use more direction in his life. He paid her the credits, and she gave him a small disposal cup with some of the liquid.

Walker drank it, and winced at the taste. Nothing happened for a moment. Impatiently he turned around. "Now what?"

The tent was gone. So was the entire carnival.

Instead he was standing on the promenade of the station, which was completely empty of people. Garbage littered the deck. He could smell char and the faint odor of phaser burn. "Hello?" he called out. "Anybody here?"

There was no response. At least, not at first. Then he heard something. A pitter-pattar of steps behind him. It didn't sound human. He turned around.

And screamed.

///

Gaila watched as Walker sampled the water. His pupils dilated, and then he looked at something that wasn't there. "No....no..." he gasped. He quickly exited the tent.

"Oh dear," she smirked at herself.

"I guess his future wasn't too bright."

Gaila (NPC)
apb Natasha

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