Part II For a Criminal You're Honest

Posted on Sat Nov 16th, 2024 @ 1:40am by Lieutenant JG Zai & Lieutenant Adrianna Baciami

1,726 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Stars Around the Well

ON:

Giovanni was silent a moment, thinking and suddenly putting two and two together, "Wait-- oh gawd-- you're the guy that almost drowned me by pushing a clown into me!"

Vance blushed. “Ummmm yeah.”

He waved him off and quickly went back to topic, "I know that she'd written a resignation-- three actually. One was maybe three months after she started the mission. Apparently she retracted it because she thought you were using her. Something about drowning. The second was when you proposed your retirement plans. The third-- that one I know haunts her. She actually sent it, but retracted it after I spoke to her and got the help she needed."

He took a sip of his coffee again, "look, my concern isn't necessarily your history as a criminal. It's about the now and making sure that my sister is with the right guy. Gawd knows she's had her fair share of morons. Jason being one of them. I mean, what man in his right mind would show up at an ex's quarters and attempt to force himself back into her life in such an aggressive manner and then think he can win her back through aggression?" Giovanni stopped himself, "sorry. I'm sure she told you. But I mean it-- why should I say yes to the question you want to ask me?"

Vance heard nothing past the Jason comment. His eyes blazed and the drink in his hand shattered. "Jason...did what now?" He gaze darkened. "What do you mean aggressive..."

Giovanni raised a brow, "she didn't tell you?" He pushed the PaDD over, showing three CCTV videos, "the man's a nut job that just can't take no for an answer."

Vance growled. "I'm going to rip him apart. I asked...she didn't say why just said she can handle it and I know she can." He took several breaths. "But I'll rip him into tiny bits and scatter them through the galaxy."

Giovanni held up his hand and lowered his voice, "you are working with Starfleet now. Control yourself. If something happens to Jason, you and her are on the top of the list of suspects and I don't fancy either of your chances. Breathe. Ade said that she could handle it, and she did. I'm not risking her wrath. She is the one that is begging for mercy for him. Gawd knows why. But we should respect that."

He pulled the PaDD back, "now-- why should I say yes to you? Other than the fact that you are willing to commit murder for her."

It took Vance several minutes to calm down. "Fleeters suck, no offense." He sighed. "Fine. I will trust her...but maybe I can rig something to shock him every time he like...breaths."

"Or, you hunt him down when he gets here in a few days and take him to the where the construction is going on-- where there's no CCTV, and you 'talk' to him, man to man," Giovanni hinted, "I said nothing. I know nothing. Anyway-- back to topic."

He sighed. "Fine, fine. Honestly I can't answer that for you. Do I love her yes? Am I good enough for her? Probably not in a million years but I do love her from her temperament to her potty mouth. I swear she made a Romulan blush once and they swear...like non stop ...." He sighed. "You'll have to judge for yourself but I will respect what your family says...no matter how much it kills me."

"She's lost you once-- she won't lose you again," Giovanni replied, "even if I say no. She'd say yes and not care." He paused, "I can see that you love her. Honestly, I've never seen my sister so happy and so much like her old self. I admit, I am hesitant, but that's because it's my job as her brother."

"You know that you are not good enough for her," Gio finished his coffee, "for a criminal-- you're honest. Adams, Reggimi, Baciami-- you'll still be you. And I know that's what my sister wants and needs. Good luck to you. I know she'll say yes. Well-- she never lost Italian habits-- I know she'll say 'si'."

He snorted. "Her accent is so strong and she lapses into Italian when mad. I love it!" He sighed. "Yeah but I worry about the family. I won't be the cause of a rift between you all and her. If the family doesn't approve I don't know that I can say yes and cause you all to hate her or voice versa. Family is important to her. I've never had one so... for me it's all relative but I know how much it's important to her."

"Vance," Giovanni smiled, "in my father's absence, it's me that you ask. I'm telling you yes. My father will like you-- he's not a fan of Fleeters." He chuckled, "my other brothers-- just brace yourself. They're chaos. Believe it or not-- Adrianna is the sane one. You'll get along with them." He paused, "word of warning though-- when you meet my mother-- be sure you check it's her and not Adie. Men have died for less. Even we get them mixed up. My mother doesn't speak standard. It's a long story. She knows the odd word though. She'll like you though. She told me to place nice towards you. She's a sucker for romance."

He smiled. "Can I be frank with you? I've never had a family so I'm not sure what one feels like I'm nervous as hell." He paused and shook his head. "Wait you're saying yes?"

Giovanni simply nodded.

He bounced in his seat happily as if he was holding a whoopee inside.

Giovanni chuckled and shook his head in amusement, "listen, you're right-- you're not good enough for my sister. No-one is. But, I can see that you want to be what she deserves. I don't know you well, but what I do know is that even when you found out the truth about her being in Starfleet-- you still loved her and protected her. You didn't blow her up or toss her into space-- you saw beneath it all. You saw that she was ready to give it all up for you--that her feelings were real."

He paused, "I saw her descent after your 'passing'. I was on the ship that picked her up and stayed with her when she got the news, helping her through, what I thought, was the passing of another officer who she was in love with-- I thought she was security, not intelligence. I know that in as much as you would die for her, she would, and did, die for you."

Giovanni sighed and changed to a lighter topic, "Adie has enough family for the two of you. Let's face it. Our family is-- chaos. Just chaos. My parents are very welcoming. My parents will see that Adie is happy and will be happy. My brothers--well, brace for banter, merciless teasing and a lot of embarrassing stories about Ade which will inevitably end in one of them being thrown out of a window by her. I'm serious when I tell you that myself and Adie are the sane ones."

"You'll have opportunity to meet some of us sooner than you think. My mother has this strange gift request for her 70th-- she wants to finally leave Earth, so she's coming here with my father. Those of us in Starfleet will be meeting her-- that's myself, Adie and Franco. Franco is a wind up merchant and dumb as hell. I don't understand how he passed the academy. I suggest you learn how to dance. If you're still not scared off, you have her actual party, which is a family reunion after. At least you won't be alone as there will be wives and girlfriends there that have been through the process and gawd, so many children," Giovanni chuckled at the thought, "we've not all been together for a long time. Consider it a baptism by fire in terms of being welcomed into a family, or experiencing what a family could be."

He grinned. "That sounds frightening as hell and I've been to Rura Penthe...but only to break someone out. But I am up for the challenge. I'm actually planning to surprise your sister on her ship. I got my transfer orders to the Arcadia hoping to catch it by shuttle if we can arrange it. Planning to get there and not say anything for a few days and then just bump into her..." He grimaced. "I better I better buy under uniform armor she does tend to get temperamental."

Giovanni almost choked on his coffee as he chuckled, "you, sir, are either very brave or very stupid. She doesn't like surprises." He shook his head, catching his breath, "I wish you luck, I do. As for our mutual enemy-- he arrives tomorrow. Let me know if you need help with CCTV."

"Meh, I'm an engineer I got creative ways to make his life hell. My friend Zai mentioned he'd be on your ship."

"I've relegated him to, near enough, lower decks," Giovanni nodded, "room 408. Our ship is open for repairs and upgrades at the moment." Gio paused, "if you don't hit him, I will. Just know that."

"Ohhh I plan to....Give me three hours and let me get my kit and your ship will hit him for us...repeatedly. This way Adri doesn't get upset we don't lay a finger on him but your ship will positively hate him." He got an evil grin on him. "Remember I said that I was tossed out of the academy for getting creative. Well...I rigged a sonic shower that turned an admiral purple for three months and made him itch every two hours on the dot for days."

"We're going to get along very well, Vance," Giovanni smirked and stood up, having finished his coffee. He held out his hand to Vance, "I'll say it now, because I know how Adie is going to respond: welcome to the family, Mister Adams."

He grinned. Standing up he shook Giovanni's hand. "I'll be on your ship in thirty minutes to make some magic."

"I know nothing," Giovanni replied firmly, "I hope you get your repairs sorted on the ship."

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