#&. first ferengi in starfleet ( ic | nog )

[tongowheel]

@zeveth as viwilath: "May I accompany you?"

he stills outside the airlock, turning on his heel to look at viwilath seriously. she's taller than him, significantly so, but he exudes an air of confidence that makes him look bigger, && older too.

still, none of that masks the surprise on his face at the request.

"are you... sure?" nog frowns slightly, stepping off to the side to allow a few of his crew to pass him && board. "i don't have a problem with a passenger, i really don't, but... are you sure that traveling in the gamma quadrant is a good idea? i can't in good conscience put you at risk. you're a civilian, && more importantly a federation protective ward. but if you return to dominion space of your own volition, that asylum is voided while you're there, even if you stay on the ship."

with a small sigh, nog shakes his head. "that said, i understand the desire to see your home again, even from a distance. so i'll ask again. are you sure?"

[ncthingstars]

@ltbroccoli​​ / starter call   ( nog, vic & reg )

       “commander barclay!” nog greets the decorus’ guest warmly. “it’s an honor to have you on board.” he extends a handshake, but already, he’s walking quickly down the corridor. no time for a full tour. they’re headed somewhere much better. “i know you’re a busy man, and time is short — it took some work convincing starfleet to let me make this detour to earth, considering we’re headed back to the gamma quadrant after this...” he shakes his head in amusement. “but i can be very persuasive.” 

a brisk walk and a quick turbolift ride later, they reach their destination — holodeck one. he looks up at reg and grins. “prepare to be blown away.” the doors slide open, revealing the sprawling lounge within. it’s quiet, save for a few holographic patrons at the bar for a midday drink. “vic!” nog calls out, uncertain where the other is. “he’s here!” 

from around a corner in the back, the aforementioned vic appears — dressed for business. he brightens when he sees nog, and brightens more when he sees his present company.

“nog,” he greets warmly. “and you must be commander barclay. captain’s told me all about you.” he winks at nog. 

“commander, allow me to introduce you to—”

“vic fontaine,” vic interrupts, reaching out for a handshake. “pleasure to meet you.”

[discotreque]

Disco 3.05: Die Trying

Over the years, I have delivered so many condescending lectures about how it's everyone's responsibility to curate their own fandom experience, and if you're not having fun participating in this totally voluntary free hobby, that's nobody's problem to solve but yours. But I can be sloppy, or careless, or fail to unfollow someone who reblogs excellent gif sets but also a lot of toxic discourse—or whatever—and then I wake up one day like, "When did this stop being fun?"

Well... when I stopped putting in the effort to keep it fun, that's when.

Anyway. I'm staying out of shitpits like Reddit and YouTube, I only follow podcast feeds and Jola stan accounts on Twitter, and I'm back to blocking bad Tumblr takes on sight. I've loved Star Trek for 30 years and it's in the middle of a glorious renaissance—I'm not going to let some weird assholes on the internet take that away from me.

Onward!

Pictured: Owosekun’s impression of me watching this episode.

The little "Captain ;)" "Number One :) :) :)" between Michael and Saru in the first scene was so bittersweet and tender I could hardly breathe. The ghost of Prime Georgiou haunts their relationship in such a devastating way.

The bridge crew getting all :D over the future Starfleet ship designs was such a delightful reminder that this is a ship almost entirely crewed by young nerds <3 <3 <3

The Voyager-J, ahahaha, YES. And the USS Nog, NCC-325070 😭😭😭 (Can't believe it took them hundreds of years to name a ship after the first Ferengi in Starfleet though, come on)

I can't remember what we've seen for Starfleet C-in-C rank emblems before, but Vance seems to have double insignia of FIVE pips + TWO bars—that's a lot of hardware.

Eli's little bow tie fuckin SENT me. (I can't decide if a bow tie would have made the EMH on Voyager more or less insufferable.)

Hmmm. Might come back and revise/delete this point later because maybe they're building to something, but Saru seems almost dangerously naïve right now? (Also, I get that Michael might have become a little more chaotic good during her year with Book, but—she used to be able to manipulate Saru better than this, too. Hmmmmm.)

"Clinically dead?" "Well, I was emotionally dead, too—and I was murdered."

DAVID CRONENBERG????? (Oh shit, is this a backdoor pilot for S31?) You know he’s up to no good because he’s wearing glasses—and a tie. On Star Trek. What the fuck is up with this freak.

I should hate Mirror!Georgiou. I should hate that she's even on the show. I should REALLY hate that she's getting her own series—I don't have a problem with evil protagonists, it's just not a good fit for my idea of Star Trek, and literally every Section 31 story after the first one on DS9 sucked—but Michelle Yeoh is having SO MUCH FUN, and I'm delighted she's ending up with more to do than get shot down for suggesting "genocide" at every senior staff meeting she's inexplicably invited to.

...and then the episode got so interesting I stopped taking notes! "Spooky mystery with a tragic twist" is my favourite subgenre of Star Trek episode, and this was a banger. I loved the "haunted" seed vault as a setting, and I loved the very emotional heart to a very science-fiction problem—and the way the sci-fi and the feelings dovetailed into an awkwardly on-the-nose metaphor about "letting go" at the end was icing on the cake for me. That's my Star Trek.

And as much as I'm going to miss desperately wanting to smooch Nhan every time she's on screen, I loved the way she leaves the ship here: it's a drastic decision, but it's obviously rooted in her homesickness for the 23rd century, and it gives us a good example of the turmoil that must be happening off-camera for the rest of the crew. (And I suspect she’ll be back: I know Rachael Ancheril has filmed more for Discovery than this.)

I cried again! So much! This is a show full of charismatic, talented (and gorgeous) actors, and they're finally getting a chance to flex their skills and chemistry in these long, practically luxurious scenes that serve no other purpose but to deepen our emotional attachment to these characters. Can you even imagine saying that about Season 1?

It's still not perfect, but Season 3 of Star Trek: Discovery feels like it's at least trying to become the show I've always wanted it to be. After the underwhelm of Picard and the stunning success of Lower Decks, I'm keeping my expectations for Disco carefully neutral—but they keep dropping episodes like this, and those expectations are creeping up week by week.

Next week post: I don't know, because I didn't watch the trailer, because I'm going to watch the episode as soon as I post this—but I think I saw a gif of Book and Michael kissing, so if you hear someone screaming "FINALLY!" from a vaguely Canada-ish direction, that's probably me.

[tongowheel]

it's a fair argument, one nog can't truly argue with, nor does he want to. perhaps he'd secretly hoped for this — the opportunity to bring someone along who knows the terrain, knows the people. it had been a huge burden to shoulder, his first mission as a captain, to venture into the gamma quadrant, && at the time, it had felt like a test. now — for better or for worse — he's being sent back again, && he needs all the support he can get.

there are starfleet officers with careers twice as long as his own — twice his age, even — who have yet to make the rank of captain. young commanding officer aren't unheard of, but his own promotions have been usually swift. sometimes, he doesn't feel ready, or deserving at all. sometimes it feels like he'd been set up for failure.

but if nog's learned anything, it's that a captain is only as good as their crew, && the best way to ensure success is not for the captain to be the most capable officer on board, but rather to staff their ship with better officers. or in this case, diplomats. or anyone more knowledgeable, more capable, more experienced.

that is why he accepts viwilath's request without further question.

"alright," he says, nodding in acquiescence. "you make a compelling argument. it is your decision. for what it's worth, i'll be happy to have you aboard."

viwilath bows her head, stepping off to the side with nog. she waits patiently until all passing crew are safely out of human earshot. “you misunderstand me, captain,” she explains, apologetic, “it’s not my home i wish to see again. not exactly…”

another crew member passes, and she is watchful, hesitant.

“do you remember when i was first brought here? and zeveth? well. the war has ended now, and as you know, more of my people are scattered and on their own than ever before. i want to be able to greet them, if you find any…” she chews her lip. “not that you wouldn’t do an excellent job of it, i am certain, but when i first found myself on board a federation starship, i was– i was afraid. i think it would have helped me to see a familiar face.” again, her head tilts. “so, my answer is yes. i am sure. i understand the risks. but i also have faith in your abilities as a captain and…” she fights a smile, “i think i might like to give the hospitality of federation starships another try? and maybe i can help, somehow, given how familiar i am with the gamma quadrant?”

[tongowheel]

@colnerys​     /     (very old) starter call

            the years following the war have treated the newly-minted commander well, a recent promotion nog holds an abundance of gratitude for. though they’ve never directly spoken about it, nog knows well that he owes his continued success && flourishing career at least in part to captain kira. though some assignments have taken him to the far corners of the galaxy, he’s never been able to stray from deep space nine for very long.

“captain,” he greets, stepping into her office with a bright smile, “just wanted to come by to let you know that those repairs of the defiant’s warp core are complete. she’s all patched up && ready for your departure.” the news is good, of course, but nothing to write home about — certainly nothing that needed to be delivered in person — yet nog lingers in the doorway, hesitating.

“actually, it was my assistant, t’thel, who did the majority of the work.”

[tongowheel]

@beneviolencia​ / starter call ( jake & nog )

              small booted feet pitter-patter along the promenade, as nog chases after his friend with exponentially growing excitement. “jake!” he calls, cupping hands around his mouth as oversized ears bob up and down in time with his steps. “JAKE!!”

he skids to a halt in front of him, breathing heavy, and gives jake a wide, sharp-toothed grin. “you will NEVER believe what just happened!” nog is still out of breath, and it takes him a moment to get the next words out, leaving jake with a very long and drawn-out pause, the payoff of which is probably not worth the suspense. 

“i was in quark’s, working the dabo tables in the back, and these vulcans walked in — have YOU ever heard of vulcans gambling? and what’s crazier — they were fe-males! come on, you HAVE to see!”

[ncthingstars]

         there’s a little bit of nog that’s relieved odo’s agreed to beam up and see him. he’s a long way from convincing the shapeshifter to return to the station, if only for a visit, but it’s the first step. and that’s what he learned at the academy, and on every starship he’s served on leading to this mission, this moment. progress may come slow, but it is progress. and of course, as the 88th rule of acquisition states, it ain’t over ‘til it’s over. 

but this isn’t a starfleet mission, though he’s absolutely certain the federation would be pleased to know he made contact with their one certain ally in the gamma quadrant. this is personal. nog wants to see his friend.

“come, i want to show you around!” it must be disorienting — has odo even left the link in the last 15 years? and now here he is, on a starship. but nog can’t bring himself to be deterred. in this moment, he’s the same energetic 16 year old odo used to have to chase around the promenade. except now, he dons a starfleet uniform and captain’s pips.

so captain nog leads odo from the transporter room and down the corridor, assuring his officers that he can handle their guest himself. they have a lot to catch up on, but nog has somewhere special in mind for that.

they come to a stop in front of a holodeck, and he gives odo a mysterious sort of grin, before releasing the locks on the door. it swooshes open, and he gestures broadly inside with a sweeping gesture, into a very familiar setting. 

he looks at odo, eyes examining the ever-familiar ‘clothes’ the other has chosen to appear in. “you might wanna change,” he warns in amusement. footsteps drawing near further inside reveal the approaching presence of a certain someone, who pokes his head around the corner and is immediately taken aback. 

“odo? is that you?”

@constablegoo​ reunion time :)

[tongowheel]

@cristobalrios​ @ihlonhae​​​ 

          it’s exciting to be back on earth. while, in his opinion, it’s not as nice as ferenginar, and the weather is far too hot and dry for his taste, he’s developed a love for it over the years. and, perhaps most importantly, that’s where jake is. and the young captain takes every opportunity he can to spend time with his husband. 

but that’s only part of the reason nog’s here this time.

“cris!” he bounds over to his friend when he spots him, small form, red uniform, large ears, weaving through the crowd. he stops, hands clasped in front of him, and grins. “and lorian. wonderful to see you again. congratulations to you both.” nog inclines his head in formal greeting to the vulcan, but he’s all smiles when he looks back at cris. “i am so glad you agreed to this! little known fact, but ferengi throw the best parties.” he winks. “especially bachelor parties.” he laughs a little. “jake’s going to come too — i hope that’s okay. he’ll meet us there.”

[tongowheel]

@guidesaw​: i have it managed. (nog) / ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING.

                 nog’s face floods with embarrassment, and he takes two rapid steps backward, followed by a small salute. “aye, sir. yes, sir. of course, sir. i just—” he bites his bottom lip, looking uncertain of whether he should continue or not.

“sir, you know that my hearing is superior to that of a hew-mon’s. i’ll be the most useful man on that mission, if you let me come with you. PLEASE.”

[tongowheel]

@soulmissed​​: shit just got super real. (nog!) / ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING.

                 there’s obvious concern on nog’s face as he peers at august through the comm panel scene. “what’s going on? are you okay? tell me everything.”

he glances around — the room is empty, for now, but he doesn’t know how long he has before the others return to the cadet barracks. nog lowers his voice just a bit. “they don’t really tell me anything here at the academy. all that stuff is classified. not for cadets ears. luckily, they don’t realize how good my hearing is.” he grins into the camera, but only for a second. “i’m not used to not knowing what’s going on at home.”

[tongowheel]

@afraidofchange​ / &&. continued from X  

            nog only manages to release a bit of his built-up tension, but he does relax his stance somewhat, and nods agreeably. “yes sir. very good, sir. it is a big station, sir.” he smiles somewhat sheepishly. “i.... used to get lost all the time when i was younger.”

he starts striding off down the docking ring corridor in the direction of the promenade. “my name is nog, sir.”

[tongowheel]

@aftrwhyr​: “We go onward. We do not turn home. Our fate lies ahead, not behind.” / rom 2 nog / MARASENNA.

               “that’s profound,” nog says lightly. “you should give a speech, or something.”

it’s a joke, mostly. they both know rom is in for a lot of speeches in the coming days and weeks and years. he’ll likely be grand nagus for the rest of his life, or until he decides to gracefully retire, anyway. and nog couldn’t be more proud of him. “you deserve this, you know.” his voice is quiet, lowered so as to not be overheard by quark, or even leeta, both of whom are standing nearby. “you’re going to be an EXCELLENT leader for ferenginar.” he knows his father must be somewhat intimidated, and overwhelmed. but he’s glad to see that he’s feeling optimistic, looking ahead. it helps him feel more confident in his own decisions too. even if he has been the braver one, the one more willing to push boundaries and take bold, new steps — he’s still a son, looking up to his father. and nog knows that they’re both happy that rom is finally someone he can be PROUD to look up to.

“still. it’ll be sad leaving the station. especially after we spent so long fighting for it.” he shakes his head slightly. “but you have new responsibilities, and starfleet thinks I need some ‘new experiences’.” he laughs quietly. “i think we both do.”

[tongowheel]

@guttersniper​​: “Bummer. This is, like… Mega embarrassing.” @ nog and hes saying it Very Deadpan hes still learning the slang of The Youths / UNDER.TALE

             nog stares at mutt, as if he’s sprouted a second head. surely, not THAT much has changed since he left for the academy? sure, jake is taking his writing thing a little more ‘seriously’, and maybe mutt shot up a few inches, but he doesn’t think it’s normal for people’s entire speech patterns to change so... drastically, or strangely.

“what.” he clears his throat, still looking at mutt oddly, but choosing to ignore it for the moment. “it’s — fine, really. quark forgot i was coming home today too.”

[ncthingstars]

          “rios!” stepping off the transporter pad, nog gives the other captain a wide grin. “it’s good to see you up and active again! it’s been a while.” that’s an understatement, really. the pair hadn’t necessarily been best friends, and in fact their schedules rarely overlapped during their time at the academy. nog’s time at school had been shorter than most cadets, with his return to ds9 and early promotion, and even before that, they’d been in different divisions. but they’d gotten on well, and he’d followed cris’ career with interest over the years, until, well....

“thank you for having me on board. this is quite a ship. business must be good for you.” he doesn’t know all the details of what the other’s been up to, of course, but it’s not hard to conclude that he’s making some money off this freighter he’s flying. “i’m looking forward to catching up.”

@cristobalrios​ — cris    ( starter call )

[tongowheel]

@guttersniper​ said: it was brave of you to stand your ground. @nog / OLD MEME.

                 nog doesn’t feel brave. he feels guilty, thinking about the anger and betrayal in quark’s face when he stood up to him, insisted right alongside his father that he WAS in fact attending starfleet academy, and there was nothing his uncle could do about it.

they used to get along so well when he was a young child. all before he and rom came to live on terok nor. the few times quark came to visit, or called, he’d been delighted to see his uncle. quark had always been his favorite, and he’d been quark’s. quark had loved him, the way family is supposed to love each other.

nog really wants to believe he still does.

he doesn’t want them to fight. he doesn’t want quark to think any less of him. he wants him to be proud. 

“yeah,” he says gruffly, turning away from mutt to pick up dirty glasses from a table. “sure.”

[ncthingstars]

———  DRABBLE ;     nog & vic.

2390, 15 years after the end of the dominion war, and nog is about to be promoted to captain. vic fontaine gets the offer of a lifetime.

“Vic!” As Nog entered the holosuite, the other was already getting up from his table, swiftly moving across the room to greet the Ferengi with a wide smile and a tight embrace. Nog’s arms looped around Vic’s neck as the hologram lifted him up off the ground for just a moment. Then, when he set him down, Vic’s hands settled on Nog’s shoulders as he held him back at arm’s length to look him over. 

“Noggles,” Vic said warmly. “How ya doin’ pally? It’s been a while, ain’t it?”

Nog looked down at his feet. “...Sorry,” he muttered.

“What? No, don’t be sorry! You’re a busy man, I get it! First Officer on a starship is an important job.”

Nog smiled a little and nodded, following Vic over to the table as he gestured for them both to sit. “They kept us out longer than we anticipated,” he explained. 

“Any particular reason?” Vic sat across from Nog, and waved down a waiter to bring over drinks. 

“At the time, I had no idea.” Vic didn’t press for more information. It sounded like Nog had a bit of a story to tell, and he wasn’t one to rush a good tale. “Things have been well here? No problems? Without Chief O’Brien or me around, I know there’s not really anyone here who knows your program—”

Vic laughed quietly. “All good! No problems here. I’m fit as a fiddle and running smooth as I ever did. But enough about me! What brings you here? A song? A drink? Just wanted to catch up with an old friend…?”

It was a little of all three, if Nog was being honest. A planned six months away from the station had turned into nine, and then almost a year to the date. He’d been starting to get homesick. Over the last few years, Chief O’Brien, Captain Sisko, and his father had visited as much as they could, but none of them were on the station now. And since Nog really wasn’t in the mood to hang out at Quark’s and be bullied into waiting tables, he came here. Vic had been the most consistent mentor figure in his life over the last 15 years, not to mention one of his closest friends. He’d always been the person he went to for advice, or just to talk. Now was no different.

“All of the above,” Nog affirmed. “But first, I have a proposition for you.”

Vic grinned, and handed Nog a drink from the waiter standing over his shoulder. “A business proposition?” he asked.

“Sort of.” Nog set the glass down and drummed his fingers on the table somewhat nervously. “I’m getting a promotion.”

“A promotion!” The hologram’s eyes widened with delight. “Noggles, that’s amazing! Wait — don’t tell me. You’re a Commander now, which means…” He clapped his hands together. “Captain Nog?”

Nog felt his ears burning in embarrassment, but it was a good feeling nonetheless, seeing Vic be happy for him. Not that he expected anything else, of course. Vic had always been his biggest champion.

“That’s right.” His voice was still quiet, but that signature Ferengi smile was starting to creep in as his nerves ebbed slightly, and though he was still staring into his drink, his excitement was hard to miss. “My first captaincy. She’s a Challenger-class ship. The USS Decorus.”

Vic whistled approvingly. “Sounds real fancy. How long’s the mission?”

“Scheduled for a year-long tour of the Gamma Quadrant.”

Leaning back in his chair, Vic nodded slowly. “That’s a long time.”

“Yeah. Which is what I wanted to talk to you about,” Nog said.

“Oh?”

“I want you to come with me.”

Vic stared at him for a long moment. “Me? Pally, you sure you got the right guy? I’m just a hologram, I can’t serve on a starship!”

“I know that,” Nog said, with a slight defensive edge to his voice. “But the Challenger-class ships are equipped with holodecks, and I can transfer your program. I already talked to Doctor Bashir,” he added, holding up a hand to stop Vic before he asked the question. “He said it was up to you. And my uncle will be happy to have his holosuite back, so there won’t be any complaints from him either.”

Vic was quiet for a moment, and Nog could feel his stomach twist into knots. Finally, he looked at the younger man with a fondness reserved only for him. “You’ve thought about this a lot.”

Nog nodded. “Yeah.” 

“If this is because you feel bad leaving me behind, I promise I’ll be alright.” 

“No! No, it’s not that. I… really miss you when I’m not here.” And over the last seven years or so, Nog’s been away much more than he’s been on the station. 

“You’ll be alright too, you know. Without me. You always are.” Vic’s smile was as warm as his voice. 

“I know,” Nog said. “But… The one reservation Admiral Ross had about my promotion was my ability to keep up crew morale. You know me, I’m not the most… cheerful guy sometimes.”

Vic knew. That, he understood. “I see. And so you’re hoping that I can help with that.”

“Exactly.”

“Well…” Vic thought for a minute, rubbing his chin pensively. “It does sound pretty good.”

“Yeah?” Nog’s eyes lit up and he leaned forward across the table, only to draw back a little. “You still have reservations.”

Vic shrugged. “A few. I can’t really explain it. It’s just kinda strange to me, that’s all. My entire existence has been here on DS9. Seems strange to… leave. I know the program will be the same, and maybe I wouldn’t even be able to tell the difference, but I’d know.” He took a sip of his drink. “On the other hand, it would be fun getting to know a whole new group of guests.”

Nog was nodding in earnest now. He was so close to getting him to say yes. So close. “What if I could… what’s the word… sweeten the deal for you?”

Vic cocked an eyebrow. “What, you’re saying there’s more?”

“I didn’t want to say anything until I knew for sure, but… I met this man who’s been working on the development of mobile holographic emitters. They let a hologram exist outside the confines of the space their program is running in, to move around freely.” He laughed a little, and crossed his arms, quite satisfied with the look of bafflement on Vic’s face. “They’re still not widely available, but I’m a Ferengi. I know how to get what I want. Anyway, long story short, I think I can get you one. You’d be able to leave your program. Walk around the ship. See space for real.” He jumped up, extending a hand to Vic. “So? Whaddya say? Will you come?”

Vic had a distant look in his eyes. “See space for real,” he echoed. Finally, he blinked and looked up at Nog, then stood and took the hand offered to him in a firm handshake. “You got yourself a deal, pally.”

Nog grinned, and withdrew his hand only to throw his arms around Vic’s torso in a tight hug. “Yes! Thanks Vic! Thank you so much! You won’t regret this!”

Vic laughed, resting a hand on the top of Nog’s head as he hugged him back. “How could I, when I’ve got Captain Nog looking out for me?” He stepped back, picking up his drink again. “Say, when’s the promotion happening?”

“Tomorrow night,” he said. “The Decorus docks in the morning, and then we leave at 0600 the next day.”

“Jeez, two days?” Vic laughed. “I better start packing! You too, Noggles! Hey, you think they’ll let you have the ceremony in here, so I can watch? We can have a little celebration, like a going away party.”

Nog grinned. “You read my mind.”

Vic shook his head in amusement. “You’re a good kid, Nog. They’re a lucky crew, and not just because they’ll have me for entertainment. I’m sure you’ve gotta lot to do, but how ‘bout a song before we call it a night?”

Nog sat back down, unable to keep the smile off his face. “That sounds great.”