Gifts and Surprises - Part II

Posted on Tue Oct 29th, 2024 @ 1:32pm by Lieutenant Fang Lee & Lieutenant Adrianna Baciami & Lieutenant Lanna Alexander

1,496 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Stars Around the Well
Location: Starbase Two

ON:

Having arrived at Starbase Two Lanna was grateful for a chance to get off ship for a short time, a change of scenery was always good, not that she didn’t enjoy being aboard ship. She smiled as she saw Fang and Adrianna so made her way across to them. “Hi, I see you’re both taking advantage of a change of scenery too.”

"Indeed. Please join us." Fang reached under the table. "I have a surprise for you." He brought out a bag. "From Q planet for you Counselor."

“For me?” Lanna looked at Fang curiously. “From Q planet, now I’m curious.” She smiled warmly.

He smiled. "It's something to help you keep your family close even when you have to go on away missions. Its called a Madarian locket. You can take a holo of your family a moment that you can project on a desk or wall and re-live whenever you miss them."

“Ohh Fang! That’s so wonderful, thank you!” Lanna smiled warmly as she looked at the locket. “I will treasure this.”

He smiled. "You both have been vital to both me and Zai and I wanted to thank you for everything that you've done."

Lanna smiled warmly. “I consider you both friends, and I’m happy to help in any way I can. I will treasure this locket, that I promise you.”

He smiled. "I am glad you both like your gifts. Now how about we order food.

“Now that sounds a very good idea” Lanna nodded in agreement.

The meal was passed with pleasant conversation and much laughter. Fang, for the first time in a while, felt like he was relaxing. The trip to Q planet had been both good and bad but this was helping him just forget the worries.

The meal finished too quickly and dessert was ordered all around. As they were working on that dessert a tall handsome man with dark hair and grey eyes approached. He stopped at the table. "Hello Lee Fang."

Fang winced and looked up shock, surprise and rage filling him. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Sabastian Walker smiled. "That's what the hell are you, Lieutenant Commander Walker, doing here." His grey eyes flashed. "I'm the chief engineer of this station and I have something you lost."

Fang growled. "I doubt that."

"Well don't. You arrogant piece of garbage. All you can do is take isn't it."

Fang stood up edging for a fight.

"That's enough, gentleman," Adrianna slammed her hand down onto the table to gain attention, "save it for a ring, or I will end you both." Her tone was cold and almost psychopathic, but she was firm and sounding controlled.

"Sit down Lieutenant, I know who you are. Like it or not I outrank the entire table. Now then. You," He pointed at Fang who had sat down. "You hurt him so much. You forced him into a counseling session when he wasn't ready too relive the most traumatic day in his life. He was what...sixteen when he had to fight your tribe to defend his people. He was wounded and out of an entire village he woke up bleeding, alone, and surrounded by.." Sabastian had to stop to center himself. "Do you know what he went through, Fang? Do you?! Then you lead him on, give him hope of..." He tried to control his anger. He focused on his love for Zai. "I have loved him since the day I met him. I have been there. When he almost died when you graduated and left and didn’t contact him for months. Zai had such a strong link to you that he couldn't eat, or sleep, or drink and he lapsed into a coma and almost died, I brought him back. ME! I nursed him back to health that year, brought him out of the shadows. Then you do this to him rip his heart out and on top of that Zai heard what you said to that ops guy on the ship. He heard every word and that was the dagger that broke him. Do you know how I found him, Fang? He was on the station pale, shaking, in the middle of an anxiety episode. He passed out. Again I was there and I will be there long after you are gone. So don't look for him. He's staying in a safe place for a few days to recover and get his emotions under control. No let me be clear. He's staying with me and if I can convince him he won't get back on that ship again."

Sabastian Walker straightened. "That's all. He's happy today, smiling. Don't destroy that too." He turned and headed for the door where it opened. Just as Sabastian got there Zai walked in. Sabastian hugged him and directed him away so that he wouldn't see Fang and the ladies. He would arrange to come back later. He lead a smiling Zai out of the restaurant making sure to keep his arm around him to show Fang that he would loose Zai.

Fang watched he didn't make a move. Sabastian had been right. Zai looked happy and after seeing him upset, hearing what Zai had gone through...something Zai had confided in Sabastian about but not him. It felt devastating.

"Fang?" Adrianna let his name hang there for a moment. She hadn't appreciated the put down, but regardless of rank, she would have been sure to stop the fight. Even if it meant calling security. She'd taken down bigger men though.

He looked at Adrianna and then Lanna. He sighed and met Adrianna's gaze. "I'm sorry he..." He shook his head. "My god I really did force Zai do recall the memory and I...he almost died during his last year at the Academy? Sabastian knows more about Zai's past then I do." He wasn't making sense but his heart was breaking. Zai looked so happy a moment ago...maybe he was better off with Sabastian. What could Fang provide him that Sabastian couldn't?

"I don't know what is going on," Ade noted, "but what I do know is that you need to talk to Zai and maybe apologise. He's your friend, first and foremost."

Fang just gave a nod. "If...he'll talk to me."

“Whoa hold on here” Lanna looked between the two of them. “It seems I’ve missed a whole lot of something, so what have I missed?”

Fang sighed. "After our counseling session Zai left and he left the ship. I couldn't find him to talk to him..." He shook his head. He sighed again. "That was Sabastian Walker, he was in my Academy class. In fact he was top of the class. He has always had feelings for Zai. I didn't know they were friends..."

Lanna nodded. “Zai left the ship?” She paused. She and Zai had started to become friends. “I’ll admit I’ll miss him if he decides not to return.”

Fang shook his head. "I won't let that happen. He'll be back. This thing with Sabastian is a momentary blip. I spent the entire Academy keeping them apart I can do it again!"

"I do not know the man, but you cannot come between Zai and his own mistakes," Adrianna commented.

“Adrianna’s right, you can’t stop them being together Fang. It’s Zai’s decision in the long run, if you interfere he’ll hate you for it.” Lanna offered an understanding gaze. “Just let things play out as they’re supposed to.”

He sighed gazing back where they'd come in. There was no words to express what he felt. He shook his head. "Let's not let that make the dessert taste bad. How about we finish that and we can go for a walk. The arboretum is having an unveiling of a new Betazoid wing. It will have plants that most of us haven't seen yet, an entire garden." He stabbed the fork in his cake a little too hard. He'd done it before and he'd get Zai and Sabastian away from one another again.

Adrianna looked to her watch, "actually, I have to apologize. I must get going if I am to catch the person who can help me check in on Zai."

Fang gave a nod. "Yes please. If you find out where he's staying let me know. I have to talk some sense into him. I mean Walker made it sound like they are staying together but they won't tell me where his quarters are I'm sure."

"Absolutely not-- unless there is a real threat," Ade replied, standing up. She kissed the top of Fang's head, "see you both soon."

He smiled as he watched her go. "How about you counselor. Arboretum walk after?"

“Definitely!” Lanna nodded. “It’s been a while since I was last at home, it’ll be nice to see some plant-life from Betazed again.”

OFF:

 

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