Impromptu Family Reunion - Part II

Posted on Mon Jul 14th, 2025 @ 4:32pm by Lieutenant Adrianna Baciami & Lieutenant JG Zai Walker

1,777 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Stars Around the Well
Location: Starbase 6

And Now, The Continuation...


ON:

Vance who'd gone red all the way to the ears shook Franco's hand. "Nice to meet you." Then he turned to Tanina. "I should apologize for that call ma'am. I...it wont' happen again. I promise. No more being alone with Adrianna until we are married."

Tanina couldn't help but chuckle, waving him off, "nothing to apologies for. I would be a hypocrite if that was a request we made. All of us, in fact. Gawd, myself and Dario used to--"

All of the children groaned in unison, muttering about how much they didn't need to know. Dario reached out and put a hand on Tanina's, bringing It up to her lips and kissing her knuckles with such love in his gaze, towards his wife. Tanina blushed and smiled, almost swooning at the gentle act, instantly shutting up. Dario decided to take over, from what Tanina was saying, getting to the point, "The issue you had was merely that you were interrupted. Just don't get her pregnant before marriage."

"Papà!" Adrianna turned bright red, as her brothers chuckled at her expense.

"Ooft, looked like our baby sister won't be getting laid now that her parents just gave her permission-- what a turn off," Franco grinned.

Giovanni and Dario both reached over and clipped Franco around the back of the head.

Vance laughed. "Franco you're funny."

Adrianna muttered something in her native tongue that was only just loud enough for his translator to pick up and for no one else to hear, "funny is one word for it, but perhaps more brain dead from lack of braincells owing to all the hits to the head."

Dario smiled widely as a song started to play, "if you would excuse me-- this song brings back some memories." The man stood up and guided Tanina out to the dance floor. Adrianna waited for them to go before glaring at Franco.

"Oh, come on, like you wouldn't be as crass if the roles were reversed," Franco grinned.

Giovanni put a firm hand on Adrianna's shoulder as she almost launched herself off of the seat. She sat back down. Giovanni looked at Vance, "how on earth you out up with her temper, I will never know. But, I would like to amend what I said to you earlier-- it's not both Adie and myself, it's just me. I'm the only sane one."

Adrianna and Franco both looked at Giovanni, raising a brow at him, the family resemblance uncanny.

Vance smiled. "I think you are all wonderful and if I can be honest meeting Franco...is like seeing my Ari. She was a lot like you Franco. Perhaps a tad worse on the crass part."

Adrianna's expression softened and she smiled, "Franco may be in Starfleet, but he is dumb as hell. I would imagine that your sister was smarter."

Giovanni looked at Franco who had taken the insult on the chin, knowing his place. He then looked back at Vance, "I'm sorry, I should have invited your sister here too. Please, send her an invitation to join us at the reu--"

Adrianna subtly shook her head.

"Ah, I apologize. I didn't know," Giovanni cleared his throat, looking genuinely apologetic.

He gave a shrug. "She passed a lot time ago. It's all right." He turned to Franco and smiled. "Around me you just be you Franco."

"I can't be anyone else, Vance," Franco grinned, "and like the rest of us, we will all mercilessly tease you about being with our sister."

Vance smiled. He was about to say something when a pair of strong hands landed on his shoulder. "Great outfit choice right?" Sabastian turned to Giovanni. "Hey Giovanni."

Giovanni stood up and smiled, reaching out his hand, "well, you look a millions times more alive than the last time that I saw you."

He laughed. "I feel it too." Just as he shook Giovanni's hand Zai walked up wearing a suit that made his lavender eyes pop. "Are you the man I have to thank for saving my husband?"

"That depends," Giovanni chuckled, "do I have to get on my knees and worship you for evidently being more of a perfect man than us mere peasants? Come on. Man to man-- you have a flaw or two, right?"

Zai laughed as he shook Giovanni's hand. "You have your sisters sense of humor. And for the record everyone has flaws. But not you you saved the King's consort's life. So you are now officially flawless."

"I'll take that," Giovanni grinned, " this is my brother, Franco. Franco, this Sabastian and Zai." He switched to Italian, briefly forgetting that Vance could hear, "the empaths that are making sure that she doesn't do something stupid again."

"These are my parents, Dario and Tanina," Dario and Tanina came over, Tanina wrapping her arms around them both, kissing both their cheeks, spewing off in Italian again. Adrianna translated, "my mother says that she is so happy to finally meet you, she's heard so much about you." What she failed to translate was reference to them being persons who were making sure that she was sane enough to not do anything stupid.

Zai smiled. He put an arm around Adrianna. "She is like my sister. I will always make sure she is okay." When he spoke it he did so in flawless Italian. He also bowed and took Tanina's hand and kissed it, telling her in Italian that he now understood where Adrianna got her loveliness from."

Sabastian blushed. "He speaks a few languages."

Tanina chuckled and blushed, "Adrianna, where do you find these handsome men?"

"Madonna, mamma!" Adrianna sighed, running her fingers through her hair having forgotten, "can we stick with lighter conversation, regardless. It's not as if I jumped off of a cliff in an ocean. I signed up for one last undercover operation."

Zai smiled at her flicking her nose in a brotherly way. "Now then if you are all around two days from now you are invited to our official wedding. It will be interesting to see how three traditions are combined and you will be my guests of honor." Again he spoke in Italian and translated for Sab.

"Sorry, I only thought to bring the two," Giovanni gestured to Vance's earpiece. "We're all around for a week. We're heading back to earth in four days for Mamma's 70th birthday. Big family reunion where that guy there may or may not survive eight protective older brothers." Franco chuckled, nodding in agreement.

Adrianna glared at Zai, "so, when I stayed over and was hung over as hell, and you started laughing at me not being able to remember words in standard, you could have just spoken to me in Italian?"

He grinned. "Yup. This was more fun though." He braced for her punch.

Adrianna went to hit him but Tanina simply said sharply, which Giovanni translated for Sabastian's benefit, "you lay a finger on him and I will add to your tallies!"

Adrianna groaned and relaxed but shot Zai a look that basically said 'later'.

"Such a temper on this one-- I think it's a female trait in this family," Dario chuckled kissing Adrianna on the top of the head before putting a hand on Vance's shoulder, "you sure you want her? It's not too late to run. Save yourself." It was clear that he was teasing.

Vance laughed. "Nope. I'm in for life."

"Hello all." Lee Fang said as he walked up a large purpling bruise on his jaw.

Zai tensed his hands balling into fists. Sabastian quickly tapped his right fist and threaded his fingers through Zai's to calm him. "We should go. We have some time booked with the wedding planners. Thankfully we were able to get things scrambled before I have to go back to Starbase 2 and we all return to work. We just wanted to stop by say hello to everyone."

Adrianna nodded her understanding, "let me know if you need anything." She smiled.

Tanina and the rest said their goodbyes but just before Zai left, Tanina hugged Fang but then hit him across the back of the head. No one bothered translating what she said, but in Vance's earpiece he heard, "I love you, but how dare you not tell your mother about everything that was going on. I found out from Adrianna, and I told her! She told me to reprimand you."

He sighed and looked around. "Um...translation?" He looked hopefully at Adrianna.

"I suggest that when this gets together is over, you call your mother," Adrianna responded, almost with secondhand embarrassment of being shouted at by her mother, "family is number one and you have apparently not been talking to your mother. We hold no secrets in our family, well, not really, so she expects you to follow the same principles with your own." Adrianna reached over and put her hand under Vance's, merely wanting the contact and to silently check in on him whilst everyone was distracted by Fang.

Vance squeezed her hand. He sighed. "Why don't we all have a nice dinner. I'm sure Fang will do what you said Ma'am."

Zai had witnessed the smack and smiled a little. "Mrs. Baciami you are officially my favorite person." He gave her a hug. "We should go. I hope to see you all at the wedding in two days then. I have purchased a lot of Grappa for the occasion." He turned to Fang not caring if everyone hear. "You are not invited. Show up and I will execute a Royal Order that you don't want to be the subject of." He turned and stormed off. Sabastian sighed. He looked around. "I'm really sorry all. Lee I'll talk to him."

Fang shook his head. "It's okay." He watched Sabastian run to catch up with Zai.

Adrianna gestured to the spare seat as everyone sat down. She looked back at Vance, "you're right. Positivity here on out."

Tanina nodded, "sorry. I had to get business out of the way first. Would someone mind asking if Fang is alright otherwise and that it is good to finally meet him in person." Adrianna dutifully, translated for Fang.

Fang smiled. "It is good to see you in person too." He looked at Adrianna. "Please tell her I'm alright otherwise." He looked around. "It's good to finally meet Adrianna's brothers too."

Tanina smiled. Adrianna didn't translate, "don't worry-- she's wearing a live translator. Yes, these are two of eight. You've spoken to Giovanni before, but this is Franco." She gestured.

He shook Franco's hand. "Nice to meet you."


To Be Continued...

 

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