Academy Chronicles: Part II - These humans are....disturbing

Posted on Sat Oct 19th, 2024 @ 1:47pm by Lieutenant Fang Lee & Lieutenant JG Zai

1,361 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Stars Around the Well
Location: Earth, Starfleet Academy Tokyo Japan
Timeline: May Years Ago (Final year at the Academy Zai)

Previously On Academy Chronicles...

"Congratulations, you're out of the closet. You just sprang right out."

"I hate you so much."

Zai laughed. "Really?"

"No."

Still grinning Zai looked into Fang's eyes. "So, not that I'm complaining but you mind if we get up. I really do have a show I want to watch tonight."

Fang leapt up. "Sorry, sorry."

Zai shrugged as he boosted himself onto his elbows still on the floor. He reached out a hand. "Well you could help me up?"

Fang sighed. "Sorry." He grabbed Zai's hand and pulled him up.

"You okay there? You seem flustered." Zai said as he walked back out of the bedroom and into the Livingroom.

Fang took a few deep breaths before he followed. "Now that you've been checked by the monitor how about we escape and have a night out?"

Zai looked up at him enjoying how red Fang's face was. "What do you have in mind and why are you blushing?"

"Surprise...and I'm not blushing."

"You're blushing."

"Shut up Zai and put on a shirt."


And Now, The Continuation...


Zai had thrown on a pair of jeans and a turtleneck, his go to, even in the summer. He'd braided his hair and tossed it over his shoulder as they climbed out the window and ran across the field.

"So where are we going?" He said running next to Fang.

"Just get off campus first and then I'll tell you. You know that pre grad night is always tight. They don't want any drunks at the ceremony. So we can't get caught."

Zai snorted. "Says the man who was drunk as a skunk on his grad night."

Fang stared at Zai. "Whose fault was that?"

Zai laughed feeling the ease between them return even though they had been apart for a year. "I do good work." He paused. "So this is what...payback?"

"Nope. This is called night out. You've been working hard and it hasn't gone unnoticed."

Zai raised an eyebrow as they hopped over the small fence. "Oh?"

"Captain Tekvin on the Sakura has asked for you to report in next week. You're coming to work with me."

Zai stopped. He hadn't yet called in his favour so how had he been assigned to the Sakura? "Oh...how did he know about me?"

Fang grinned. "Cause I told him. I made sure he knew how good you were."

Zai stared at Fang. "You wanted me on the same ship?"

Fang stopped and stared at Zai. "Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?"

Zai looked away. "Your from the first tribe and I'm from the eleventh. I still don't understand how..."

Fang grabbed Zai's shoulders and gave them a shake. "Zai. Don't ever say that to me. I'm not like them! Damn it we've been friends for how long? Haven't you..."

"I'm sorry but your tribe..." As he met Fang's eyes he swolled hard. "I...I'm sorry." He looked away.

Fang shook his head and cupped Zai's face forcing him look Fang in the eye. "No, I know what it was like. I can't imagine what Capella was like for you and what you went through before you got off planet. I...I'm sorry Zai. Don't ever think that I see your tribe. I see you, Zai. My friend, my twin soul and a hell of an Engineer."

Zai closed his eyes and focused on the feel of Fang's palms against his cheeks. It was comments like that that made him doubt what he knew. He opened his eyes and gently pulled Fangs hands from his face but not letting them go just yet. "Yeah. Sorry. Let's go." He then reluctantly released Fang's hands.

They traveled for a while in silence until they reached a small grove of trees. "Stay here Zai. I'll be back."

Zai watched as Fang disappeared. A few moments later he heard a horrible hum and then watched as a ratty device came into view. "What the hell is that?"

"Hover bike?"

"No...death trap."

"Zai it's a hover bike."

"From what Era?"

"It's a little...primitive but it will get us where we are going."

"Tell me you didn't pay credits for this!"

"I didn't. I borrowed it."

Zai snorted. "From whom? The Grim Reaper?"

"Admiral Jenkins...."

Zai shrugged. "Close enough. Okay let's go." He tossed his leg over the bike and slipped in behind Fang. After a moment's hesitation he slipped his arms around Fang's waist as the bike jerked forward. Silently Zai prayed to all the Gods of Capella that they would arrive still breathing to wherever Fang was taking them. He mused, as they rode, that Fang had come far with this influence. From Mr. Rule follower to someone who broke the curfew and visitor rule at the Academy and who 'borrowed' ratty death trap hover bikes from ancient admirals. All due to Zai's influence. He'd be proud if he wasn't scared they'd die on this machine.

The ride was short but when they arrived Zai's eyes widened. "What is this place?"

"Park of Amusing things I think. Come on this should be interesting. I've never been to one."

Zai stood frozen looking around. Fang turned to see him staring with a goofy smile. Fang walked back and took Zai's hand. "Come on. Lots to see tonight."

"Can ... we see it all?"

"If not we'll come back tomorrow night."

Zai held onto Fang's hand smiling as he let Fang pull him deeper into the park. The lights and sounds were all new to him and a little overwhelming but then the general feeling of joy from the people washed over Zai and for a moment he forgot about revenge, and everything else cluttering his mind.

His hand tightened in Fangs. Within moments they arrived at what looked like a train of sorts. "What is this?" He watched as the train turned in every direction going side to side and upside down and in what appeared to be death loops. He moved closer to Fang. "What is this?" he asked again.

"It's a rolling coaster I think."

"It's a shuttle accident simulator... why are they screaming?"

"I am not sure. I think Frankie said you scream from the fun on one of these."

"I beg to differ. It's probably from your life flashing before your eyes. One can not have fun in a shuttle accident. These humans are....disturbing."

"Come on Zai. Let go. Let's have some fun."

"Well at least we die together."

Fang laughed as he pulled Zai forward and into the train.

As the big metal beast lurched forward Zai held onto Fang's arm. He closed his eyes tight as the train seemed to climb the metal mountain. "Fang..."

"I'm right here. I promise."

Zai felt Fang's hand on his own where it was grasping Fang's arm. "Hold on. We're going down!"

Zai said nothing but held on for dear life as the cars tumbled down face first towards the ground and then just as they were about to hit the cars lurched up and into what Zai called a death loop.

The ride took...oh ten minutes but at the end of it Zai stumbled from the cars and to the nearest wall. He slid to his knees trying to breath. "That....would wash out many a recruit from the academy."

Fang however, seemed unaffected. "That was amazing! Let's go again."

Zai looked up at him, his lavender eyes wide. "No thank you! If I wanted a death simulator I would have joined the Klingon war academy or whatever they call it. This is .... these humans are truly disturbing!"

Fang laughed. "Oh let loose Zai. Come on. We'll go into the tea pot."

"The what now?"

Fang helped Zai stand. "The tea pot. It's ... a ride that turns and you sit in a tea pot shaped car."

A few moments later Zai looked between the ride and Fang. "Well that looks like a tea cup not pot."

"Oh whatever. Let's go."

Zai groaned. He was re-thinking things. Maybe Fang really was trying to kill him.


To Be Continued...

 

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