Here’s To Nepotism

[Neptune Rex 0]

Lt. Neptune Rex

Communications/Operations | Challenger NX-05

February 15, 2155

 

>Begin<

 

Neptune set quietly in a restaurant in Cairo, Egypt. An odd place for a meeting, he had thought when the communiqué had first came through to the Challenger, but none the less, he had RSVP-ed that he would be their.

 

This was one of the better establishments in Cairo, and Neptune’s attire matched the surroundings. The gentle night wind fluttered through the open windows, tinged with a hint of desert air.

 

Ahh Cairo. Fond memories of youth filled his mind as he sat looking over the menu, awaiting his host for the evening. The maître d' sauntered over, offering Neptune the wine list for a moment.

 

“Asti Spumanti, chilled.”

 

“Of course,” the maître d' said closing the wine book again and returning his standard.

 

Neptune looked back down to the menu, when he was interrupted by a familiar voice. “Neptune Rex,” the voice said from behind him, “and here I heard you were captured and sold as a Orion Slave.”

 

Neptune turned to see his “host” for the evening. Vice-Admiral Aziz El-Yessin.

 

“You could only be so lucky,” Neptune said motioning Aziz to sit. “In fact I was on the ship the whole time…”

 

“Figures,” Aziz said as he took his seat.

 

“Your not here for old times sake, are you?” Neptune asked rhetorically.

 

Before he had joined Challenger, such a straight forward question would have disturbed him, but apparently Moose’s’ brash style had rubbed off on the aging diplomat.

 

Aziz smirked. “I see you’ve learned a thing or two from Moose.”

 

“Apparently…”

 

Aziz and Neptune went back many years, to when they had both been studying in England, and the two of them had continued their friendship when Neptune chose to do his post-baccalaureate work in Cairo and Aziz had joined the Egyptian Air Force. Now the two of them sat the table, looking at each other.

 

It had been sometime since they had talked, and it really did feel awkward now. Neptune was now a subordinate officer in Starfleet, and Aziz a ranking flag officer of the Fleet.

 

“Well then,” Aziz said as he waived the waiter over. “I guess I’ll cut straight to the point.”

 

“Good,” Neptune said as he placed the menu down. “I wouldn’t want you to be seen dining in a five star restaurant with a lowly communications officer. The press would never forgive you.”

 

Aziz smirked. “Well,” he said. “That’s why you’re here.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yes,” Aziz paused as they gave their orders to the waiter, and he went off to the kitchen with the order.

 

“Ever heard of the Meteora colony?”

 

“I read about it in the news this morning, just founded, they don’t have a governor yet, or anything like that.”

 

“Yet,” Aziz said leaning back, taking a finely rolled cigar from his sport-coat pocket and putting it to his lips. “Want one.”

 

“Sure.”

 

“Well I guess some time in space has done some good for you,” Aziz produced another one and handed to Neptune.

 

“Like you said, Moose rubbed off on me….”

 

“Heh,” Aziz smiled, offering Neptune a light. “As I was saying Meteora doesn’t have a Governor yet…”

 

“Yet…”

 

“Maybe you’ve forgotten what my title is?”

 

“Actually yes I have,” Neptune said coyly. “The last I heard you were in charge of the construction of the colony ships…what did they call that…the MayFlower Project.”

 

“Yes,” Aziz said puffing on his cigar, “Well I have moved up in the world. I am in charge of the entire colonization project. Guess what that means.”

 

“You pick the colonial governors,” Neptune said as Aziz’s intentions became clear to him.

 

“Exactly,” he said.

 

“So you want me to give you some names of Governors for this new colony?”

 

“I already have one,” Aziz said grinning.

 

“Oh.”

 

“Governor Neptune Rex,” he said beaming. “That has a nice sound to it.”

 

“Nepotism at it’s finest.”

 

“Oh pish,” Aziz said dismissively. “Like you’re not qualified.”

 

“Oh yes,” Neptune said sarcastically, “I know all about setting up a colony. I am expert in agricultural and engineering maters.”

 

“You don’t have to be,” Aziz countered. “We have assistants to help with that, you however, are good with people, and pretty good at getting things done. That’s more important than whether or not you can tend a garden or build an air-recycler.”

 

Neptune gave Aziz a look.

 

“Oh please Neptune,” Aziz said, “Don’t make me order you.”

 

“You can’t do that.”

 

“Wanna try me?”

 

“No.”

 

“Well then Make this easy on me,” Aziz said. “Tell me yes, come in tomorrow and sign the paper work, and we’ll make the announcement after the launch of Columbia.”

 

“I’m sure Moose will be happy.”

 

“I am sure he will,” Aziz said coyly, “He won’t have you yelling at him every time he doesn’t follow protocol exactly.”

 

The two smirked.

 

“When do I start?”

 

“As soon as possible,” Aziz said as the first course was wheeled out. “I have already taken the liberty of having your things transferred from the Challenger to a hotel in San Francisco. The Repulse is scheduled for a milk run to Meteora next week. You’ll be going with them.”

 

“You don’t leave me many choices.”

 

“That was the plan…Governor.”

 

“Governor Rex,” Neptune smirked raising a glass of wine. “Here’s to your bad judgment and nepotism.”

 

“To Nepotism.”

 

>End<

Edited February 15, 2005 by Neptune Rex