You now have a brother

Posted on Fri Nov 15th, 2024 @ 11:50pm by Lieutenant JG Zai

1,587 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Stars Around the Well
Location: Main Engineering |USS Arcadia

ON:

Fang walked into Engineering and headed to his office. He expected that Zai would be there to brief him but instead he found Frankie, the smartest and perhaps the most disconcerting, at least to Fang, of the three idiots.

He never quite seemed to like Fang and Fang didn’t understand why. “Frankie, where’s Lieutenant Zai?”

“He’s up on level two finishing a recalibration of the Isoliniar rods.”

Fang winced. “Couldn’t that be done by the most junior ranked person?”

“Yes but he seemed in the mood to do it. So, I am delivering his report for yesterday and this mornings for Ensign Silto who was on overnight shift and did the updates you requested.”

Fang studied him. “Frankie can I ask you something?”

“Of course, Sir. You are the Chief Engineer. There is no logic in seeking my permission in asking me a question.”

He snorted. “You talk like you are a Vulcan and this is a personal question.”

“Half Vulcan. I didn’t inherit the ears or drab hairstyle but the genetics are there. Ask.”

Fang snorted. “Funny man. Why do you hate me?”

“I do not hate you. I simply dislike you.”

Fang blinked. “Same thing!”

“No Sir. Hate is a strong disapproval of someone, Despise would refer to disgust and while I do hold a certain amount of it in relation certain behaviors of yours I would not use that word by itself to describe my feelings for you. Loathe is the extreme version of hatred and dislike is simply a preference to not be around you. So while you disgust me in some ways I have a preference to not be around you so I dislike you." He seemed to pause as if reviewing what he said. “Yes, let’s go with that.”

Fang’s eyes widened. “What did I do to you?”

He shrugged. “Nothing sir. You have strongly offended a family member of mine...two of them if I am counting up to date.”

“When?”

“At the Academy and over the years.”

“What? The Academy? That was eons ago.”

He shrugged. “Vulcans, even half Vulcans can hold a grudge. Now if there is nothing else I will take my leave.”

“Which family members?”

“My brothers.”

He studied him. There was something familiar about him but Fang could not place it. Perhaps the face shape? “Fine, just go.” He waived a hand as if dispelling a bad smelling gas.

Frankie bowed and headed out heading to level two to check on Zai.


=/\= Level 2 Engineering=/\=


Frankie, hands clasped behind his back, walked past Anabelle and John ignoring their antics for now and headed to the second level of Engineering. He stood at the entrance of the Isoliniar alcove watching Zai sort through the rods.

“You have not made much progress, Sir.”

He looked up. “Frankie, stop with the sir. We’re both JGs.”

He gave a nod. “Indeed but you gave up the promotion for full Lieutenant on your last ship so you outrank me technically. You were promoted even if you refused it.” He paused and then entered the room taking a seat next to Zai. “May I assist?”

Zai smiled. “Sure.”

“If I may, why did you give up the promotion?”

He shrugged. “Fang is older and didn’t seem right to be the same rank as him.”

“But you are a better Engineer, I mean you reached his rank in less time then he did so you gave it up for … what his ego?”

Zai sighed. “Misplaced admiration.” He shrugged. "I didn't want him to feel bad."

“Ah. May I ask you something?”

Zai smiled. “Sure. You know out of you Anna and John you’re the one I prefer. Honestly you’ve always been like a little brother to me.”

“Indeed. I will be your little, same aged, brother.”

Zai laughed. “How do you figure?”

“You will be marrying my brother.”

Zai’s eyes widened. “Wait…Frankie Walker! Sabastian is your brother?!”

Frankie gave a nod. “Yes. He got more of the Vulcan physical genetics and I got more of the logic.”

Zai stared at him and only then did he start to see the resemblance, a little. “You’re the one leaving the notes and gifts.”

Frankie gave a nod. “My brother was very specific that you were not to find out but I figured you could…use a friend today. I saw you come out of sickbay and you were...upset. You have many friends here I have seen that but perhaps no real family. If you and Sabastian are to be united I am family. Thus perhaps talking to your brother might help." He held up his hand. "I know, from Sabastian, that your brothers were...less then qualified to be called so but I endeavor to be different.”

Zai smiled and then sighed. “You know, Frankie, that makes me feel better. It really does.” He clasped the man on the shoulder.

Frankie gave a nod. “Do not tell Sabastian I told you about the gifts and letters. He is my brother but he is annoying when he does not get his way. I think a trait passed from our mother.”

Zai laughed. “As long as you keep his bad poetry coming.”

Frankie rolled his eyes. “Yes…if one can call that poetry.”

Zai laughed. “You read it?”

“I have little entertainment on this ship so I read his poor attempt at communicating his love for you. Plus enveloping them is a temptation to read if there ever was one.”

Zai laughed. He didn't mind Frankie reading the letters they were tame.

They worked in silence for a while.

“So,” Frankie said. “You seem off today.”

He sighed. “Bad run in with the doctor.”

“O’Connor?”

“No the grumpy one.”

“Ah, I would not take it personally.” Frankie handed him the red and yellow rods.

Zai took them placing him in the right compartment and lapsing into silence again.

“You are worried about Sabastian.”

Zai looked over at him. “I see you got the empathic skills of the Betazoid side.”

Frankie just gave a nod.

“Yeah I am. I feel bad that I cause him pain because of all this metamorphosis crap. You know there are still times that I can’t believe that he loves me. I mean why me he could have anyone.”

Frankie shrugged. “Indeed. Yet he chose you why question it? If I may you tend to put yourself below a lot of people. You feel as if you are unworthy of a lot of things. Is this a childhood trauma?”

Zai stared at him. He sighed. “Perhaps. Are you sure you shouldn’t have gone into counseling?”

“Second major. I’m also an Empath we are natural counselors. You do this yourself for everyone but yourself. Again you feel as if you don’t deserve it at least that’s the sense I get.”

“Are you chastising me?”

“In a way, yes. My brother has asked me to watch over you and I can feel you sinking into a depression. I do not like it. I wish to help.” He shrugged. "I have this need to fix things. It was like that with my wife. When I found her she had suffered trauma and could not remember who she was. After years of working with her she got her memory back. We were in the academy when she was still unable to remember things it was only a few years ago that the Federation and Vulcan treatments worked. I have also worked with her extensively so as I said I like to fix things and people."

"You're married?!"

Frankie smiled. "Yes. I have been since second year Academy."

"Oh my Gods! Who?"

Frankie shrugged. "Annabelle."

His eyes widened. "Annabelle as in our Annabelle? I thought she and John...."

"No. She is my wife. John is...complicated to explain."

"Do I even want to know?"

"I am not sure you do. But we are talking about you."

Zai sighed. "I feel..."

"Lost, helpless, angry, scared, somewhat perplexed." Frankie rolled his eyes as if pulling down information from an unknown source. "Tired, in pain, hungry.."

"Okay okay okay. Stop reading me. Yes I feel chaotic."

"An apt phrase. You do know that it is alright to take a few days off to rebalance your mind and energy."

"I don't have the time but I will take time off when we get back to the station. I'm meeting your parents."

"Ah."

Zai looked at Frankie. "Any advice?"

"If it were just my father I would say be honest do not hold any empathic blocks and you'd be fine but you are meeting our mother. So...best advice...Run."

Zai laughed. "She can't be that bad."

"She would scare the entire Klingon home world. She would make the Gorn give themselves up if her talents were used right."

Zai chuckled. "Yet she raised two amazing sons."

Frankie shrugged. "Let me help you with the rest of this maybe you can go home and rest early. I feel you are not up to talking anymore."

Zai studied him. "You, my little same aged brother should be a counselor. I stand by my earlier comment."

"Hmmm."

And so they passed the rest of the time in silence working to get everything fixed and organized. Zai was in fact able to go home early and rest but what the next day brought for him was something that he could not prepare for.

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