Sharing the Wealth, part 1

Posted on Mon Aug 23rd, 2010 @ 8:44pm by Commander Raven Adams & Khiy Tal'ehrihn

1,448 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Liberation Of A World
Location: Trans Galactic Trading
Timeline: Current

ON

Miral received the case of blood wine and distributed it to everyone who deserved a bottle. However, that left her with two bottles of her own.

She wasn't much of a drinker, and rarely drank alone. For a day the two bottles sat in her quarters while she tried to decide what to do with them.

She knew what she wanted to do, the question was how to go about it. And should she?

Finally, she simply grabbed both bottles and headed for Trans Galactic Trading.

She walked into the office and up to the counter. "Is Khiy in his office?" she asked.

"He is." Aileen said as she looked up from her desk. She was becoming accustomed to seeing the ambassador and chose not to address her station based on familiarity.

To date her employer had never turned this guest away and Aileen assumed today wouldn't be the exception. It was protocol for her to signal ahead to be sure, but Khiy had always told her to take more initiative with her tasks, perhaps this was as good a place as any to make a judgment call.

"Go right ahead. Just ring when you reach his office door." She said with a smile. Her attention quickly turned to other tasks.

Miral bowed her thanks and walked down the corridor to Khiy's office and rang the chime.

Khiy was lounging on his couches watching the screen that was found on the opposite wall. His feet were kicked up and resting lazily on the coffee table as he watched the broadcast.

The broadcast itself covered the various trade markets throughout the region. A rather portly Ferengi spat out trade statistics and investment advice. Khiy paid little attention to what he said, the numbers were often cooked and couldn't be trusted. Only a fool with too much money on his hands would trust the advice. What could be trusted was the scrolling information at the top and bottom bars.

Based on what he was seeing, his fingers typed out figures and prices on a small PADD that sat beside him. After examining the results, he smiled to himself and placed a bid on 100,000 tonnes of Brellian grain. Seconds later the PADD chirped indicating that the bid was accepted.

Khiy grinned widely and placed the PADD down on the coffee table beside his feet. His hands came up and folded behind his head as he rested on them. The subsequent trade deals he would make with that amount of grain would vastly outweigh its original cost. Supply and demand markets could be easily capitalised on if one knew what to look for.

His mind was running through the figures again when the door chimed. He sat and looked at the door for a moment wondering who it was. Aileen hadn't informed him of any guests, so he was more than a little confused as to the breach in protocol he had enacted long before.

Standing from his seat, Khiy made his way over to the door and opened it with a flash of his hand against the door panel.

As the doors slid open, his curious frown turned quickly into a surprised smile.

"Miral! I didn't expect you. Please come in." He waved her into his office.

She smiled as she walked inside, carrying a small box. "Hello, Khiy. I hope I am not disturbing you.'

"Not at all, your company is very much appreciated in fact." He quickly made his way over to the coffee table and cleaned away the PADD he was working on. "Have a seat, if you wish."

Her smile grew wider as she sat down on the couch. She set the wooden box on the table. "I was called in to help smooth over a diplomatic situation. The Klingon ambassador sent a case of blood wine." She took off the lid and carefully lifted out the two bottles. "This is my share." She looked up at Khiy, unsure of his reaction. "I want to share them with you."

Khiy's reaction was immediate "That sounds wonderful! Thank you." He walked to his desk and tossed the PADD in his hand on to his chair where it landed with a soft thump.

His direction next plotted him on course to his own liquor cabin ate. The thoughts that had started welling up in his mind were forcibly pushed aside with every step. Their last meeting was marred by him over thinking every step and he swore he wouldn't let it happen again if he was given the opportunity.

"Would you care for a glass now?" He asked as he started to open the cabinet's doors.

"I have no plans for today. I'm entirely at your disposal," she said. It was a dangerous admission. It made her vulnerable. She looked up at Khiy and did not regret her words. For this once, she would simply enjoy another person's company.

Khiy nodded and grabbed out two glasses from the case. He left the doors open as he turned and headed for the couches.

"I doubt Klingon's would approve of the design," he said, lifting up the two finely crafted glasses "but it's all I have. I hope you aren't a purist when it comes to proper tradition." He placed the glasses upright on the coffee table and took his seat.

"I am not a purist when it comes to many traditions," she chuckled, accepting the glass. "I have, however, been known to drink out of a bottle when the occasion arises."

His eyebrow rose at the thought of it and he smirked. "I'd like to see one of those occasions some day. I find myself wondering which career saw them."

"It was military. A meeting with a Klingon delegation," she admitted. "Although, I'm sure the need will arise again." Her lips quirked up in a smile. "I will be sure to invite you." She poured them both a glass of wine and took a sip. "As long as it doesn't include Klingon opera, I'll be fine."

Khiy laughed as he took up his own glass "Never seen a Klingon opera, though if it's anywhere as near confusing as the Terran variant I could see why they would need to invent this." He raised his glass and tossed the contents into his mouth. He let the liquid settle in his stomach before speaking again. "Not as strong as ours, but still carries well. He grinned widely.

"Oh, no," Miral assured him, raising her glass. "The Terrans know how to sing. Klingon opera can only be appreciated when you're truly inebriated. It's the same with gagh." She finished off her drink and poured them both another glass. "Gagh isn't so bad if you don't mind wiggling as you try and swallow them."

"I hear it's an acquired taste." he said while leaning back into his sofa. He wedged himself into a comfortable corner, glass in hand. "But then again, I hear the same about Klingons in general."

"Oh, yes. Klingons are a rare breed. Proud, arrogant. Honor is everything. Appeal to a Klingon's honor and you can do a lot. Make them angry and they'll kill you as soon as look at you." She took another drink. "Much like Romulans," she added with a chuckle.

Khiy responded in kind. "Oh I don't know. I think it's more likely that Romulans will destroy your reputation, career, family and THEN you. Can you tell that I have no taste for politics?"

"I don't blame you," Miral said, taking a swallow. "I'm not fond of it, either." She chuckled at the irony of being a diplomat who disliked politics. "Diplomacy is better than the military, at any rate."
Besides, being an ambassador got her away from Romulan politics, the military and the Tal-Shiar.

"That I can agree with, though to be fair, I have never served. I am too much of a free spirit I fear for military life. I like to determine for myself who my enemy's are."

That was one of the things that attracted her to Khiy. "I envy you that." She finished her drink and poured one more glass. "This will have to be my last or I won't be fit to walk back to my quarters without someone noticing and writing it up on the local news." She gave him a half-hearted chuckle but it was true. She had to show the proper deportment at all times when she was in public. Sometimes she wished she could run barefoot through the promenade, but she knew it was just fanciful thinking.

(To be continued...)

Khiy Tal'ehrihn
Owner
Trans Galactic Trading

Miral Tal'Aura Annhwi
Romulan Ambassador
Starbase Typhon

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