MEMORY 1/3: When a Job Goes Belly Up...

Posted on Sat Nov 16th, 2024 @ 9:41pm by Lieutenant Fang Lee & Lieutenant Adrianna Baciami

1,177 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Stars Around the Well
Location: Out in space
Timeline: Past

ON:

Adrianna’s breath hitched as she backed up, her heels slipping on the loose gravel at the cliff’s edge. She kept her chin high, masking her fear with defiance, but she knew the clients weren’t buying it. Their patience was running thin, hands twitching toward holsters as they demanded what Vance owed.

“Listen, I'm just the messenger,” she chuckled in their native language, Romulan. She clutched the satchel tightly, fingers digging into the leather, but her mind was whirling. There was no sign of the ship or Vance, no backup coming her way, and the clients' narrowed eyes and quick glances at each other told her enough– they were done waiting for answers.

“Vance, I need an out. Now!” she muttered knowing that he was listening, “Merde– I'm going to do something drastic. I'm going to jump. See you at point 2.”

Her heart thundered as she looked past them, to the vast ocean stretching below the cliff, then back to their scowls. If she stayed, she'd be a sitting duck. Her pulse steadied, and she slipped the satchel off of her shoulder, but subtly pulled a large diamond from it, placing it in her pocket. “Look, look, I'm sure that we can come to some agreement,” she chuckled nervously, “I can call him.”

They shook their heads.

“Fine. Take it back,” she hissed, tossing the satchel toward them to buy herself one last second. And with that, she threw herself backward off the cliff, a breath away from the crack of phaser fire. The wind tore past her as she plummeted toward the waves, her body slicing through the air. She didn’t scream. Instead, she braced herself, taking a large breath just before impact, disappearing into the ocean’s depths, letting them believe she was gone.

The cold water hit her and sent her body into shock, but the academy had taught her to remain calm. She stayed underwater, heading for the cave system below the cliff, knowing it was one of their extraction points. She swam as quickly as she could, the water was murky, but she managed to find her way. She managed to almost get there, she could see the gap where the water met the cave.

Her breath was running out though, she desperately tried to swim there, her hand just about managing to break through the water before her body gave up in a fleet of bubbles, her hand slipping back under the water.

Vance squinted to better see. She should have been coming up. He waited a few heartbeats before he growled and dove in. Damned if the issues weren't ripe with this job and this had all started with the Fleeters. Why did he have a shred of respect for them again?

He took a breath surface wise and then dove under the water and it took some mad searching before he found her. He headed right for her and grabbed her hand pulling her up to the surface.

Adrianna seemed limp and unresponsive.

Vance struggled with her to the shore handing her off to the Andorian crew member and two Vulcan medics. He got out of the water and as soon as she was breathing he lifted her into his arms running for the shuttle.

Ade coughed up a lungful of water, gasping for air and rolling to her side coughing and spluttering. After a little while she caught her breath and rolled onto her back. She felt herself be picked up and saw Vance. She rested her head on his chest, closing her eyes taking a few calming breaths, muttering something under her breath in her native tongue before asking, "remind me why Fleet decided to hire you instead of do this mission themselves?"

"Hypocrites the whole lot of them. That's why." They got to the shuttle and he dropped her gently on the chair. "Fire thrusters." He took the helm station. "Let's get out of here people." He looked back. "Got the diamond?"

Adrianna ran her fingers through her hair to get the parts sticking to her face off. She looked at him and was evidently hurt. She stared at him silently, as if waiting for him to change his tone. "Excuse me?" She asked, thinking she must has misheard him, or rather-- not heard him at all. She fidgeted a little to get her soaked jacket off, feeling herself get rather cold. She knew from the academy that she needed to she'd layers instead of sit in the wet.

"Did you get the diamond? Not judging just asking because I already have a note from the Fleeters asking If I can shut the bastards up while we make our get away...cause you know we're expendable to them, then I will do my best. Yes or no answer love."

She stood up and stepped close to him and slapped him across the face, pure rage in her eyes. "I have just almost died-- saving your ass because you forgot that you met these cazzones before and owe them a debt! They want blood, Vance! Blood! They went to shoot at me and then I almost drowned. I am supposed to be your future wife! And the first words out of your mouth aren't 'are you ok' or 'thank the gods your alive' they are asking me about a diamond. You absolute cazzone! Merde! What the cazzo is wrong with you!?"

All the crew turned around, shocked to silence as they heard the slap and Adrianna raised her voice for a change. Adrianna continued glaring at Vance, feeling her heart pounding out of her chest. Perhaps he didn't love her-- he was just using her. She clenched her jaw and just glared at him in silence.

He sighed. "Adrianna, Love is love and business is business. Besides I am thankful you are alive and I know how you're doing because I have a damned computer screen here monitoring your vitals." He tapped the screen. I may love you, you daft woman but Fleeters are worse then Klingons! They want their shit and frankly we were safer down there then telling them we failed so need to know what escape scenario we're using not just for you or me but the whole damned crew!"

She lowered her voice, practically growling, "one sentence-- seconds-- che cazzo! One sentence would not kill you, not hurt this situation because it takes seconds to physically ask me." She was still mad, infuriated that he couldn't see why she was angry and hurting. She didn't care about computers or the meeting-- right now her heart was hurting and she was questioning him. She reached into her pocket pulling out, not only the diamond requested, but also another that could be worth a lot on the black market. She placed them in his hand and turned around, flopping back into the chair he'd originally put her in with a huff.

Vance smiled darkly. "Dor! Our friends down there..."

"Are following."

"Alpha Centori move 3"


To Be Continued...

 

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