Cherry Pit
From Starbase 900 Wiki
Decks 530, 531 and 532 of Starbase 900 are called Civilian Entertainment & Quarters, or CEQ, by Starbase staff, but have come to be known by their vernacular name of The Cherry Pit. These levels were created on the base so that civilians could come and run their own shop, bar, club, restaurant, etc. without having to report to Starfleet, whereas the shops and their owners on the Promenade have been recruited, so to speak, by Starfleet and the Federation so that Fleet personnel would have plenty of shopping, entertainment and dining experiences close at hand. Businesses in the Cherry Pit, however, are a bit different.
Almost anyone may open a business in The Pit so long as they have had a background check by Starfleet Security, they have put up some sort of collateral and sign an agreement that they will not participate in any illegal activities lest they be investigated, and potentially prosecuted, by Starfleet Security. While it may be a bit far from the norm, certain activities such as prostitution, are considered legal on Starbase 900 as long as it is consensual and no one is robbed, assaulted or worse.
Since its creation, The Pit has gotten the reputation of the being the biker bar of the Delta Quadrant. Most of the businesses cater to the rougher crowd and assaults are a common issue in the area. Any and all civilians that are not aligned with Starfleet, or the Federation, are assigned quarters on these three decks. This includes visiting civilians from the Delta Quadrant. The problem with this is that many of the visitors aren't on the "up and up" and are primarily shady traders or even pirates from the surrounding area. However, as long as Starfleet has not gotten a request for the individual to be turned over to a nearby government for criminal prosecution, they are welcome so long as they follow all rules and regulations of the base. Many of these patrons prefer to visit The Pit than to go up to the Promenade.
Businesses in the Cherry Pit:
...more to come.
