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My eyes reached hers, filled with sincerity and a touch of mischief, hoping she would see the genuine affection I held for her. Vanessa sighed and smiled softly.
“Yes, Zorak, it will be nice to have you around longer.” The iridescent mark on her arm glowed in agreement.
“Despite my feelings for you, I will do my best to be professional when we are here at your workplace,” I said, searching her face for approval.
“Well, for starters, Zorak, you should probably stop saying phrases like the one that just came out of your mouth.” Vanessa laughed.
“Do you have suggestions for what I should say?” I asked, genuine curiosity for the human language taking hold as I searched for legal language. “Caseload, trial, statute of limitations…. How am I doing now?”
Vanessa lit me up with a warm smile. “You’re doing just fine. So tell me why this case provided you the opportunity to stay here a few more weeks.”
“It’s absolutely fascinating,” Zorak said, unfastening the secured folder containing the documents detailing the most recent Orkarian legal lament. “One of our citizens is due to be sent back to our home planet, due to an expired visa on T’rra. His wife is a valid visa holder, and she is due to give birth to their first child, so hopefully it will be an open and shut case. Get it? Open and shut?” I looked at her for approval, hoping that my use of legal jargon was making her glow from the inside.
As we delved into the details of the case, our professional conversations were interwoven with stolen glances and subtle smiles. My determination to assist the Orkarian man mirrored my determination to be with Vanessa. With each passing moment, I hoped to prove to her that my feelings were sincere and that I was more than just a spontaneous adventurer.
“Vanessa, did you look over the Orkarian case I wanted you to tackle next?” Lyle poked his head in the door, giving me a disdainful look that made my emotional center crawl.
“What is he doing here?” Lyle asked with a disrespectful drawl.
“Well, Lyle, I thought it would be fitting to bring Zorak in on the case, as he is one of our Orkarian ambassadors. He is of course familiar with the customs and culture as well as Orkarian immigration law, so he is well equipped to provide expert advice on how to proceed with this particular couple.”
Vanessa shot me a look that I interpreted as a signal to demonstrate my expertise.
“In loco parentis,” I said with the most dignified tone of voice I could muster. “Your Honor, I must object! The opposing counsel is clearly experiencing a prima facie case of sour grapes.”
I stood proudly by Vanessa, looking for another clue from her face and body language that would tell me what to do. But she had closed her eyes and put her head in her hands. I had the uncomfortable feeling that I had misunderstood her silent language.
Lyle eyed me up and down as if he were assessing an insect. After rolling his eyes, he addressed Vanessa again. “So what do we know about Orkarian law as it pertains to this case?”
Vanessa shot me another look, possibly asking me not to speak. But this time I felt as if I were on much firmer soil, so I began with what I knew about the case.
“According to UGA, or the United Galactic Alliance, we are dealing with a situation where the petitioner, Mrs. Neegt, is lawfully present in the country with a valid visa, while her spouse, Mr. Neegt, unfortunately, has an expired visa. We kindly request the court’s consideration for a spousal visa extension based on their bona fide marriage, emphasizing the genuine nature of their relationship and the hardship they would face if separated due to this technicality. We believe this case meets the criteria for prosecutorial discretion, considering the humanitarian aspects involved.”
I glanced at Vanessa who was staring at me in silence, her eyes wide. I interpreted this as encouragement to continue.
“In this statement, ‘spousal visa extension’ refers to the legal process of extending the stay of a foreign national married to a T’rra citizen or a lawful permanent resident. ‘Bona fide marriage’ signifies a genuine and valid marriage in the eyes of immigration law. ‘Prosecutorial discretion’ refers to the authority of an agency or officer to decide whether to enforce the law in a particular case based on various factors, including humanitarian concerns.”
Lyle looked from me to Vanessa and back to me, obviously surprised. “That seems like a valid argument, Zorak. Prepare a statement for petition to the court. The Zeegts will be arriving in thirty minutes, and I expect you to be there for the consultation.”
He left.
Vanessa was looking at me, still silent, but I could see admiration written all over her face. Or was it desire? Whatever it was, I wanted more of it.
Exceedingly proud of myself, I snatched up the phone on the desk and began punching numbers, holding the receiver up to my ear as I’d seen many of Vanessa’s colleagues do.
“Can you get me the file on the Orkarian visa case?” I said to no one in particular. I still hadn’t figured out how to work these communication devices that the lawyers seemed to be proficient at.
Vanessa’s eyes lit up with a fire I hadn’t seen before, and I got warm all over. She liked it.
I kept fumbling with buttons until another person’s voice could be heard coming through the receiver.
On the other end of the line, the secretary was probably wondering why I was speaking in such a formal language, but I wanted to show Vanessa that I could be professional and competent as well.
“Yes, right away,” I said into the receiver. “We will need to put together our arguments for prosecutorial discretion, with special consideration to humanitarian factors and of course the essentials of Orkarian law. We should evaluate Mr. Neegt’s rights and how to waive the implications of his visa expiration.”
I continued talking in business jargon for a few moments before ending the call with an affirmative response from my silent assistant on the other end. As soon as I hung up the phone, Vanessa looked at me with sparkling eyes; she seemed even more attracted to me than ever before.
“I’m impressed, Zorak,” Vanessa said, her eyes shining as she looked at me with a genuine smile. “What other tricks do you have in your pocket that we can use today?”
