I thank dandelion for the info. I just want to point out - in devil's advocate fashion- that it might be hasty to assume SP could not settle the bill with the TA until now. I can think of other reasons, reasons that have nothing to do with cash in the till, why a bill might not be settled in a timely manner.
E.G. Mr. Scott owed Chekov a fine bottle of 6,000 year old Sorian brandy, but though he had no problem acknowledging the debt, he would not hand over the bottle until Chekov apologized for throwing Mr. Scott the finger over another matter. Mr. Scott thought Chekov's gesture was doubly and unfairly insulting as Mr. Scott has no middle finger with which to return the insult and felt he was being mocked by Chekov for the digital deficit.
See?
One must be careful.
Spock out.