Wedding Woes - Part I
Posted on Fri Nov 29th, 2024 @ 4:04pm by Lieutenant JG Zai & Lieutenant Commander Kelly Kerrigan
1,427 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission:
Stars Around the Well
Location: Captain's Ready Room | USS Arcadia
Timeline: On the way to Dead Zone
ON:
The chime to Kelly Kerrigan's office rang. Behind the closed door Zai and Sabastian stood there nervous. Both were in their uniforms as they had an hour to the start of their duties.
Zai looked over at Sabastian and smiled. He'd never felt more at peace then in this moment. He took a deep breath waiting for the CO to call them in. They had requested a meeting but not said what it was for.
As they stood there Sabastian was thinking back to his conversation with the Captain about joining the ship. He'd revealed his intention and he had no doubt the captain knew what this was about.
A call came from the bridge "Captain, this is Ensign Patterson there is a communications coming in for you from Starbase two. It's the Second Officer of the base, slash Chief Engineer. Can I patch him through?"
"I don't typically accept requests from strangers" teased Kelly. "Nor Second Officers" he added. He supposed something could be wrong. "Patch them through, Ensign. Let's see what this is about."
The screen shimmered and changed from the Starfleet Logo to that of Lieutenant Commander Sabastian Walker. "Hello Captain Kerrigan I have a proposition for you."
"Bash," Kelly replied using a shorthand nickname for the man. "You're reaching out for a proposition? You do realize we have an important mission ahead us."
"I do and I realize you don't have a pilot that can fly a thread through a needle's eye. I can get you one if you give me two days on all stop."
Kelly didn't like how aware of things Bash was. "I would have full confidence in Sawyer Leighton's ability to thread the eye of any needle, but you seem to be aware he's on medical leave which has left me with a handful on ensigns."
"How would you like a pilot with top rate recommendations and a knack for navigation to boot? Yours for just this mission. He might out rank your XO but no offense screw your XO."
He could not exactly pass up the offer. Screw my First Officer thought Kelly. "He better get used to my Executive Officer then even if it's temporary. Because I don't care what his rank is, my First Officer is second in command of the Arcadia. The chain of command will be respected."
He smiled. "Of course. I've always respected command. Your little security officer arrived and has been cleared on our station and your shuttle will be on the way back with one more engineer as requested by your XO and the new helm/navigation temp, me." He grinned. He looked over at Kelly. "I promise to play nice with Fang. And I won't even take up space on your ship I can stay with the Assistant Chief Engineer Zai. So no special quarters needed."
"I wasn't planning on special quarters for what hopefully will be a short stay aboard" replied Kelly. "I'm sure you'll prove to be useful nonetheless."
"Absolutely!" Sabastian smiled. "I can't thank you enough Sir. I'm...I'm really looking forward to coming onboard." He paused. "May I ask a favor of you?"
Kelly was not in the business for favors. "What specifically do you want? I make no guarantees, Sebastian. I will do what I can within reason."
He sighed. "Zai and I talked about getting married. If we decided to go ahead would you conduct the ceremony. We don't want a fuss just the two of us before we have to adhere to tradition."
"I don't know what the dynamic of all this Capellan romantic stuff is, but where does Fang come into all of this? There is you, there's Zai, there's Fang. Please tell me I don't have a dozen more of you to factor."
He laughed. "Fang is nothing. Zai and I want to get married. Fang and Zai are just friends. He will not be party to the wedding. It would be a small ceremony, you marry me and Zai."
"Expecting any objections to it if it were art larger venue?" countered Kelly. "Yes, I can perform the ceremony. Though I am not sure now is the best timing."
"I'd rather be dead and married then dead and engaged." He shrugged. "I will be on the first shuttle out."
Sabastian was brought back to the present by the doors hissing open. "Hello Captain. As per our call before I came onboard Zai and I are ready for a quick ceremony if you have the time." He handed the Captain some paperwork. "All in order done on Base."
"Excellent," said Kelly putting the 'paperwork' aside. "Marriage. It's all just paperwork anyways. I can officiate this ceremonial stuff, but the legality of your marriage can be dealt with later."
"Yup I think we both want to get you to officiate and we'll sign the papers and be done in the eyes of Starfleet we'll have a reception of sorts for Base and Ship crew when we get back. Since we're about to enter the dead zone we want to send these off ASAP so that there is a record." He took Zai's hand. "We're okay if it's a five minute ceremony."
Zai smiled. "We are indeed."
Officiate thought Kelly. He was not comfortable with much of anything about a wedding, and he accepted his role as just an individual present for this union, a union who's paperwork would have to go through proper channels. "The eyes of Starfleet do not matter here" stated Kelly.
He took a deep breath. "What matters here as far as I am aware would be Capella and whatever governing party. You are of the eleventh tribe, correct?"
"Yes and that's taken care of. We'll be having a Vulcan and Betazoid Ceremony although both will accept Starfleet Records and then a ceremony with my people to complete out a ... rather important aspect of our tradition once we are back on base."
Kelly thought it best to just be up front with them both. "I do not mind being a witness to your marriage, and I would not mind helping put a ceremony together for the two of you, but I do believe we've hit a bit of a technicality issue. I cannot be an officiant for your marriage, gentleman. You need an ordained member of clergy or a civil officiant of sort."
He understood where the line of thinking was. "Picturesque isn't it? A captain performing a marriage. Yes, well, they fail to inform you said captains have undergone the proper licensing to acquire that authority to officiate. Many Captain's, but I haven't been Captain long enough to catch my breath let alone take the courses needed to officiate and wedding."
He gave it some thought. "Arcadia has a chapel aboard. Unfortunately, we did not bring a chaplain aboard. We left without a full crew though as I recall...yes, I do think there's someone who could officiate."
"There is?" Both said at the same time. "Who?"
"Fang," replied Kelly. "He's more on top of the academic matters than I am. I am fairly certain he obtained what I am lacking. Overachiever that he is. I'm sure he would be thrilled as 'nothing, just a friend' of yours, Zai."
Zai ground his teeth.
Sabastian sighed. "Not a problem. We'll find someone. I'll put a ship wide call out if I have to but it will not be Lee Fang." He sighed. "Sorry to bother then Captain." He picked up the papers feeling down but not out. He was determined to be married by the end of Lunch.
"I wish you both the best of luck, but in the event you cannot find anyone, give me a month and I'll probably have everything completed to actually officiate."
They both gave a nod and headed out.
When they were back in the turbo lift Zai sank back against the wall. "So there is that."
Sabastian wrapped an arm around him. "Don't give up. I'll search the whole ship if I have to. Someone has to have the creds and not Fang." He saw Zai's face. "We'll get married, today, before lunch, I promise. Even if it has to be by video call we're still enough away from the dead zone to figure something out." He began to pray to every God he knew and a few Goddesses too, specially the Betazoid Goddess of Love.
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