The Golden Ticket

Posted on Sun May 24th, 2015 @ 10:08pm by Lieutenant Commander Kh'ali & Cadet Senior Grade Eli Ziyad & Cadet Senior Grade Chance Conradi & Ignatius Reilly & Lieutenant JG Quentin Dobry

Mission: Breaking New Ground
Location: Diplomatic Offices

"Hey, we were big damned heroes today, you know?" Chance grinned and pinched Eli's ass as he crawled ahead of him through the Jeffries tube.

The pinch made Eli jump and he bonked his head on the top of the tube. “Hey! Save that for later, huh?” He rubbed his head, then looked back over his shoulder at Chance. “And yes...yes we were. And now that we’ve prevented the nightmare from hell, what are you going to do. Mr. Hero?”

"Well, I think we've rewarded each other rather nicely, or at least started to." He laughed. "How about a milkshake on the Promenade?"

“Yes! With loads of caramel. But first, can we stop by to see Kh’ali? I really want to know what her news is.” Eli reached the exit panel and pressed on it to move it away.

"Okay, we can go there first," Chance agreed. Once they were out of the tubes, he closed it up and they made their way to Kh'ali's office. "Should I wait outside?"

“Why? This concerns you too, at least somewhat.” Eli grinned at Chance for an instant. “Don’t you want to know if you’re no longer living with an outlaw?”

"I don't know. I mean, having sex with an outlaw has been a whole lot of fun. What if it's all boring afterwards, when you're legit?" He grinned at him.

Eli rolled his eyes as they entered the diplomatic offices. “Then use your imagination, Chance.”

“Imagination for what?” Lt. Dobry was just stepping out of Kh’ali’s office as they entered.

Eli’s face flushed a deep red. “Uh...to pretend he actually understands the plasma dynamics homework.” Yeah….that was it.

Dobry looked from one to the other, noting Eli’s blush. “Sure. That sounds good.” He fought back a laugh and motioned them to go on into see Kh’ali.

Chance, too, smothered laughter as he joined Eli in the office. Imagination, huh? Maybe pretend you're Orion? Belatedly he realized Iggy was in the room, rocking a cradle.

Reva or Seyla?

Now Eli laughed aloud, then covered his mouth. “Sorry Commander.” He shot Iggy an annoyed look. I better not answer that for obvious reasons.

“It’s alright, have a seat gentlemen.” Kh’ali looked at the pair and smiled. She was going to enjoy giving them this news, that was certain.

Taking a seat, Chance was a bit antsy. "How is Iggs doing as your nanny?"

Kh’ali’s smile brightened. “Would you believe that she’s actually very good. I tell you Chance, if others knew how good it is having a telepathic nanny...and he’s quite attached to her.”

Eli watched Iggy and the baby for a moment and smiled. “I know Iggs is glad to have something so important to do too.”

Iggy waved two legs and a snippet of her whispery alien voice came across to them, Momma gonna buy you a mocking bird. If that bird blahblahblah ...what will momma do?

Chance snorted with laughter. "I think that's an old nursery song that my mom sang. Sounds like Oz didn't teach Iggy all the words, though."

“Patrick knows that one and he promised to teach her the rest.” Khali pulled a padd closer, a signal that it was time to get to business. “Alright, Eli, as promised I have news. After months of negotiating, and you can read that as a lot of arguing, demanding and insisting on my part, I think we are done. What we have is a formal pardon from the government of Enara Prime, which makes the need for asylum now null and void. You are considered a member of the Federation as of this point, based on that past permission from Starfleet. Your stellar performance in the Academy here was a huge help, by the way.”

It took a moment for her words to sink in but when they did, Eli smiled ear to ear. Then he whopped and grabbed Chance into a tight hug. He’d have hugged Kh’ali but there was a desk in the way, plus she intimidated the hell out of him.

“Did you hear that?” He gripped Chance’s shoulders tight, then hugged him again.

"Yeah! Woo! That's great news!" He was as happy as Eli and hugged him hard. Then he stilled slightly. "Does that mean you could go back there?" Concern that Eli would leave him rose up.

Eli turned back to Chance but the words he had for his lover were silent ones. Don’t ever think that…. He then looked back to Kh’ali. “Can I go back home?”

“Well that’s what I want to talk to you about. The short answer is yes. According to the agreement, you will have full rights at home and can come and go as you please.” She held up her hand to settle Eli, who had risen from his chair. “There is one caveat.”

Eli sat back down and reached for Chance’s hand, squeezing it tight. “What?”

“They have requested that you do come back to Enara Prime to meet with a representative of the Chancellor’s office to sign the official paperwork. It won’t take long and might be a good time to see your family while you are there.”

Eli considered that and then turned to Chance. “Will you go with me?”

"Yeah!" Chance hadn't yet had a chance to travel deeper into the Delta Quadrant. "I'd love to. But... Could we wait till Oz gets back?"

“I don’t see why not,” Kh’ali answered. “I’ll just inform them when you are preparing to leave so they have an arrival time and you can make arrangements with your family, Eli.”

“Okay that sounds...oh wow..that’s incredible.” Eli let out a deep breath as he tried to take it all in. There would be no more living under a cloud, no more fear of things going really bad, no more anything, just..life. Except perhaps that one issue with his parents where Chance was concerned.

Kh’ali seemed to read his mind. She looked from Eli to Chance, her expression softer. "There is one thing you need to keep in mind.”

"Hey, does this mean that those guys with the coins will stop coming around?" Chance looked from Eli to Kh'ali.

“Your government has been told in no uncertain terms that such incursions on 900 will have dire consequences.” Kh’ali smiled. “Really it would be a matter for security but it was a chance to throw my weight around and they had to suck it up. They knew they had crossed a line and violated your asylum status, Eli.” Her smile faded. “As for this trip...I understand that your parents, Eli, are somewhat...uncertain of your relationship with Chance. I am not prying here, but you understand that they reflect the prevailing prejudice on Enara Prime. I want you to be very careful while you are there. If anything happens to you two, Jackson and Oz will skin me alive.”

"Maybe they'll go with us. Make this a regular family trip," Chance laughingly suggested.

Then I can go, too!

“We’ll be good, Kh’ali, I promise.” The excitement that seethed in Eli was beginning to spill over, his Enaran aura flowing over the rest of the occupants of the office. “Once Oz is home, we can arrange our departure and all that.” He was fidgeting now, unable to sit still. “You should go, Iggy, if Kh’ali can spare you. We’re here to explore anyhow. That’s what it’s all about.” He looked back to Chance with a smile. The thought of the two of them taking off on their own for such an adventure was vastly appealing.

I’d like it to be just us….our own thing..is that okay?

Fine by me, Chance answered.

Oralia will not allow that and you know it, Iggy chimed in, sounding as stern as she could.

“Why not Iggy?” Kh’ali asked. “They are cadets and most by this time have some missions under their belts. They’ll be with Eli’s parents in any case. If this goes well, I’ll see what I can do about it counting for your class credit and Chance is due up for a tour in diplomacy anyhow.”

Chance realized Kh'ali hadn't heard his and Eli's part of that little sidebar. "Yeah, and she'd love for you to go. This is such great news!" He was sharing in Eli's aura of excitement.

“That’s all I have for you.” Kh’ali passed a padd to Eli. “Here’s the official notice for you, I thought you might want it.” She smiled once more. “Congratulations. I will inform them that there will be two….” she glanced over at Iggy, “three of you.”

Chance just grinned at Eli. Meanwhile, Iggy's song changed, Oh the places you will go! Little spiderlings, you are going places! She was badly out of tune.

Iggy’s words got Eli’s attention and he shot a glance to Chance. “She doesn’t know yet,” he mouthed silently, then stood. “Thank you so much Kh’ali. I don’t know how to thank you.”

“No problem, really. And thank me after you’re back and this is all done.” She laughed once again. “Now shoo...go do whatever it is you had planned to do. Go celebrate!”

"Milkshake on the Promenade!" Chance practically pulled Eli from his chair to drag him out of the office.

***************
Cadet Chance Conradi

Nanny Iggy

Cadet Eli Ziyad

Lt. Commander Kh’ali

Lt. Quentin Dobry