President's Tea Time

[Jonathan Price]

Jon Price was sitting in the living room with a pot of tea and four cups. A tray of traditional 'English Tea' pastries and sandwiches. It was turning into a little bit of a tradition of late. Every Thursday they would come to the house for 'Tea Time' and just catch up. It was usually always Jon, Isabella, Alice Ryder and Noonian Singh, and randomly Kinsey and Noella. Being some of the only people who actually enjoyed a 'proper English tea time'. With the threat of Dominus, the Brethren, and the Dominion looming, these tea times were some of the only time when they could attempt to discuss something other looming war.

He also greatly enjoyed the little tidbits of wisdom that Alice would impart, being the planet's 'original' First Lady, there were things that she knew and understood that can't really just be taught or told in a briefing. He valued her counsel probably as much as anyone else in the cabinet. She and Gale always spent a lot of time with Isabella, after their return it took a while for Gale to get used to his real 'mummy' being home. It was a curious arrangement, but it worked. Plus he thought it would also give her a chance to spend time away from the lab. And the their house was just as secure as the Compound, if not more so since it was on land owned by Clint and Selene and they had installed so many numerous security measures, even a wolf couldn't wander in without it being tagged by security.

"Bella... where do you put my briefcase? I was going to give Alice that briefing on the new development on Rigel Four she was curious about." Jon said as he looked around the living room. "I can't find it anywhere... and yes I looked in the study."

[T'Kir]

"Y'left it in the office Jonny boy." T'Kir said as she walked in and held it out to him. "This is one downside to havin' ye two live out of the Compound, lot harder for people to fetch things y'leave in the office. It's like y'have an actual life."

"Imagine that." Jon said as he took the briefcase and smiled. "Tea?" he gestured to the pot.

"May as well join yuir little tea party... so where's everyone else?" T'Kir said as she pulled off her blazer and sat down.

"Bella is changing... she was working out earlier." Jon replied as he poured her a cup and raised his eyebrow. "So how IS the 1st District, heard there was some flap over the proposed budget changes."

"They'll deal. Schools always want whatever they can get, they can get their sports budget from sponsors like everyone else. Not giving them a quarter of a million credits for uniforms and gear when we've already given pretty much every school in the district the proceeds from the Imperium reparations." T'Kir said and ran her hand through her red hair. "One of the health clinics are gettin' too big for their britches... they're pretty much demanding we pay for the shortfalls in their budget. They build these lavish clinics and then have the bloody gall to ask the government for us to cover them so they can and I quote 'serve our communities' yuir bloody servin' yuirselves... "

"You and Noella could always switch back..." Jon chuckled.

"No focking way. State department was a bigger headache than I thought and I've been an ambassador for a long time now. I'd rather deal with petty bullshit than pretty much everyone there. I manned it for a year and then when the whole change of leadership happened, I got out when I did. Besides, 1st District has a lot of Romulans living in Capitol City, they like having one of their own... and the Terrans think I'm exotically sexy." she cocked her head slightly. "Of course I AM exotically sexy. I'm a strong, confident woman in her prime and I'm sleeping in the Vice President's bed more than my own."

"Getting serious between you two eh?" Jon said with an amused smile.

"Let's just say... if he doesn't ask soon, I will. For a surly old man, he's... an incredible boyfriend. AND... we've been helping this one set of fraternal twins at yuir Orphan Colony. Rules say that adoptions need to be with married couples or at least committed relationships." T'Kir touched her stomach. "And it's highly unlikely I'll ever have one of my own. Even if we incubate some of the eggs I've had kept in cold storage. 'Bout ten years ago I was in a battle, took an entire clip to my mid section. Oh they pieced everything back just dandy, but it wouldn't exactly be a good idea to throw in a wee child into the mix. The twins are actually human Vulcan, but they act so bloody Romulan and surly I love them. They're like thirteen or fourteen, maybe even fifteen, it's hard to age a Vulcan especially when their records were lost and they have no idea how old they really are."

"Ah Solak and Tora, right?" Jon nodded his head and took a sip of tea. "They're exceptionally bright, Natalia is considering giving them entry into her Sophia Institute to encourage their scientific training."

"Tora would be wonderful in that, but Solak, he's been thinking of getting into the Diplomatic Corps. He's a whip smart negotiator and he's fascinated by learning about other cultures. He's been asking to go with me when I visit Earth for that anniversary of the peace accords shindig they're havin'. Emperor Kaikoa has been quite insistent on having me there. Thinks I'll piss off the right people."