Resignation Letter [Part 2]

Posted on Mon Oct 14th, 2024 @ 10:37pm by Lieutenant Adrianna Baciami & Lieutenant Fang Lee

1,054 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Stars Around the Well
Location: Freecloud
Timeline: -- Past--

ON:

Adrianna had done her due diligence, taking the two hours to thoroughly check what they were transporting. Nothing Starfleet would be interested in, really, but it was the payment that caught her eye. It was a lot of money for such a small cargo. Something wasn't right. Putting a call out to her handler, she sent what she knew, acknowledging that she would be MIA for a few weeks whilst they were transporting.

The runs with Vance were never long, a week or two at most, but it only tended to be a small team on board: 5 at most. He took her as a second in command and translator. She was one hell of a powerhouse when it came to negotiation. So far, Ade had not slipped up, but this trip seemed different, it was one bird, cargo and only him. There was something he wasn't telling her.

Adrianna showed up at his ship and noted that he wasn't there yet. She let herself in, which was far from unusual and went to look at the manifest. The ship held two: one for Starfleet, the other for bragging rights later. Flicking through the handwritten book she frowned-- nothing.

Vance had run a bit late. A last minute glitch and he damned well didn't like it. Starfleet was sticking their nose in so there had to be a small change in plans. He entered the ship and sighed in frustration as he dropped his bag. "You're already here. That's good. Engines hot in fifteen minutes. Let's close her up and get the hell out before Starfleet causes anymore problems."

"Fifteen from when you were supposed to be here, or from now?" Adrianna looked up from the coffee in her hand, having quickly replaced the manifest. She asked rather flatly, humored by the situation. The woman knew the answer though and started loading up the systems.

She looked over to him, noting how panicked he looked, "the cargo hold is empty, by the way. Are we picking up on the way or is this another 'non chiedere' situation like last time? I told you that I didn't like surprised then, and I will tell you again, Vance." She didn't use his name unless she was serious, it had been an on going joke between them.

He sighed. "No cargo this time. It's a bit more complicated. I'll explain on the way. Let's head out before Starfleet shows up."

Adrianna practically growled. She didn't like it when plans weren't straight forward. Nonetheless, she had to get 'her own kind' off their tail. Quickly making the preflight checks, she launched them off of Freecloud and into the black, heading for the coordinates he had given her from before.

Once autopilot engaged, she stood up and walked over to him, slapping him, "no surprises, Vance! Talk!"

He sighed. "It's a rescue mission of sorts."

"Do I look like a Starfleet officer!?" She demanded before cussing, "Vaffanculo! Absolutely not! I didn't sign up for runs like that. They are dangerous, amore mio, and rarely worth the money! I want double."

"The Klingons are generous. They need their general and the Telerites have him."

Adrianna started spewing off in Italian, clearly she was angry, but it sounded like a debate with herself. She glared at him, before concluding, "triple and we get to eat roast pork after we're done with this run. Always wanted to be the person that does something un-kosher whilst being around pig like beings."

Truth of the matter was that Adrianna knew of the general. Equally, she knew Starfleet wanted him for war crimes. By handing him back to the Klingons, she would risk a new war. She had to sabotage the Vance. But at what cost? Over the few runs she'd done with him, he'd become her favourite guy to work for. She knew that it could never go further, but there was always a will-they-won't-they vibe. Even her handler had warned her about getting too close, but Adrianna was adamant that she could distinguish between her undercover persona and her real self. The last mission though, the fine line had grown a little faded though. She was determined to do right by starfleet and not join the statistics of being lost to the underworld.

He sighed. "Listen, I know this is...not what we would want but I took this job so that i could retire, you know? Get a home on a planet where I won't be bothered and maybe..."

"Retired?" She chuckled, breaking her fury for a moment at his dream, "you're a thirty something. Come on. You'd miss the risks and rewards."

"No, I'm serious. I want a simple life and just a home. A family. And with this I can give them to myself ... and to you if you want. You don't need to be working like this. You're meant for so much better."

"I couldn't retire," she shook her head missing the meaning. Adrianna ran her fingers through her hair in frustration, still debating what to do, "I'd miss the risks; I'd miss the rewards; hell, I'd miss working with you." She paced a little, trying to think about how to get out of this.

"Well...what if you were still with me?" He said just as the coms unit began to been. He muttered something as he looked at the panel. "Incoming. We have the Telerite ship taking him to Penal Colony 3 on the way. We got 15 minutes to prepare."

Adrianna frozen at the statement. It was something she couldn't deny wanting to hear from him, but she knew that she couldn't. Regardless, her desire bleed through her façade-- her usual poker face and ability to focus on the job, ruined. "Vance, I'm not--" the Comms and change of topic rescued her from doing something reckless.

She sighed and nodded, going to some nearby storage and grabbing a phaser riffle. She tossed one to him, "there a reason why you didn't invite the rest of your team? We could have used the hands."

"There is a leak. Someone is working for Starfleet they seem to know all my moves. The only person I could trust is you."

That hit her in a way she hadn't expected. She nodded, "still, fleet or not-- this will be difficult."

OFF:

 

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