Part I - Lunch Date

Posted on Sat Nov 23rd, 2024 @ 1:03am by Lieutenant JG Zai & Lieutenant Adrianna Baciami

1,261 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Stars Around the Well
Location: Engineering |USS Arcadia
Timeline: Just before Dead Zone Entry

ON:

The second that Adrianna stepped into engineering, engineers seemed to instantly step aside for her and avoid looking at her. It was still amusing to her how between the rumours circulating her undercover life and retrieving Zai's necklace that once, engineers seemed to still be terrified of her. She wondered if Vance knew, or had heard.

At that moment, however, she didn't care. She felt like she was on cloud 9 still, a smile gracing her lips as she strolled to Zai's office with Vance's shirt in her hand. Sure, nothing had actually happened, but it had fanned flames of their romance into something that they had missed out on because of near misses in their prior lives. "Zai, cucciolo, you look-- well, better than a few days ago, but still like hell. Have you seen Vance?"

Zai grinned. "Yeah he's on Level two. Near the Port thrusters. I'll get him down here since technically nobody but engineers are supposed to be here." Zai yawned. "I feel a bit better though. I think that having Sabastian here is good for me."

"Madonna, as if I'd go anywhere near a spot like that-- si, tell him he has a lunch date and he is already 7 minutes late," she shook her head amused, "I think Sabastian is doing you good. Illness aside, you seem substantially happier and just-- brighter."

He grinned. "Can I tell you a secret...you'll be the first to know."

She nodded, placing Vance's shirt over her shoulder, "I am intrigued."

Zai put in the call to Vance and then turned back to Adrianna. "So....Sabastian and I went to see the Captain the other day."

She smiled, half listening as she caught the scent of Vance's cologne coming off of his shirt. She then zone back in, "mhmm?"

"We went to see the Captain and..." He lifted his left hand a shiny new band on his ring finger. "Sab got them at the station before he came on. It's now official. "

Adrianna stepped forward, grabbing his hand, admiring the ring, "married? Congratulazioni! Cucciolo, many blessings."

He grinned. "We wanted to make it official this way for Starfleet there will be a ceremony on the station that is a mix of Vulcan and Betazoid and then one final one on Betazed with my people and Sabastian's Mother whom I am told is scarier then you."

"She sounds like a wonderful woman," Adrianna smirked. She rounded the desk and pulled Zai up to hug him properly and kiss his cheeks in usual Italian fashion, "Madonna, I'm so happy for you!"

"The Ceremony on the station we'll have his friends and you and the counselor and captain and even Fang along with some others from the ship. I wanted to ask if you would be my witness for the Betazoid side of things."

"Of course," she smiled, "it's an excuse to visit. I have only been once and it was a fleeting visit with Vance."

He smiled. "At least we got the paperwork out of the way." He sighed.

"Madonna, paperwork is the worst bit of everything," she agreed.

Just was Zai was about to respond. Annabelle and Vance came walking in. Annabelle was laughing. "Thanks Vancy. I appreciate the help."

Adrianna was secure enough to not be a jealousy person. She perched on Zai's desk and grinned, raising a brow, "Vancy? That's a new one. Especially for someone lower ranking." There was more of an amusement and tease in her tone than reprimand, but the woman had a reputation.

Annabelle studied the woman. "Well we're all family here in Engineering." She looked at Vance. "So this is the lunch date you've been talking about non stop." She raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. You two are an item?"

"There a problem, lieutenant?" Adrianna asked, her eyes falling to the young engineer, rather emotionlessly, "please, speak your mind. I'm unarmed and have too many witnesses." Adrianna offered a small grin.

Annabelle laughed. "No problem at all." She looked over at Zai. "Vancy's got the thrusters running don't ask how it's not fed standard but it will work. Lee may not like it."

Zai shrugged. "If it works when we need it I don't care. We have to replace the thrusters on base anyway."

Anabelle gave a nod. "Have fun you two. Not too much fun though." She gave Adrianna the stink eye and left.

Adrianna couldn't help but be entertained by the woman's look. She shook her head and looked at Vance, "I mean honestly, you tell a girl to go away one time and she hates you for life." She looked back at Zai, "she seriously not forgiven me for putting her in her place when she interrupted our lunch on base?" Adrianna shrugged and looked back and Vance, "well 'Vancy', ready for lunch?" She handed him his shirt, standing up.

He snorted. "She's a great kid. Honestly she... reminds me of me in some ways."

Zai laughed. "She can hold a grudge like you that's for sure. I was in the academy with her. Plus your purple joke was nothing compared to the crap she pulled as practical jokes."

Adrianna chuckled, shaking her head, "I mean, the engineers and lower decks hate me anyway. I like being feared and hated though. The taste of trembling lower deckers and glaring engineering brats fuels me."

"Annabelle fears nobody usually the other way around. You know I found out that she and Frankie are married?" Zai said.

"Oh I know that she isn't scared of me-- but that glare-- I like her," Adrianna grinned, "and si, I know. Cute pair. You just know who wears the trousers." She put her hand on Vance's chest, "now-- you are very late for a lunch date and it's my fault as I'm talking. I need to tell you-- leave my quarters that quick again, abandoning me in my time of need, and I will vent all of your belongings starting with whatever you leave behind. Am I clear?" She chuckled, tapping the shirt she'd handed back to him.

Vance snorted. "God I must have made a bad impression on your family." He blushed read. "And oh my God your mother was there."

"Reminds me-- mamma said that she has eight boys and to remind you that it's nothing she hasn't seen before," she grinned, "oddly, you didn't make a bad first impression. So that's 5 of 8 brothers down. 3 to go. But they oddly liked you. They only make fun of people they do like. I'll send you the transcript of you want." She pulled his hand so that they could go to lunch.

"Please no. I don't think I could handle it." He sighed. "Well it won't happen again. I'm determined."

"I hope not," she went to kiss him, lowering her voice, not caring that Zai could see, "I was enjoying the direction everything was going before we were interrupted. We will not be interrupted again. I had a lifetime of that with you for a mere kiss. Nothing will stop me getting what I want now." She kissed him softly.

Zai laughed. "Get out of here you two."

Adrianna couldn't help but blush a little, but quickly hid it, pulling on Vance to leave with her. Weirdly, as she stepped out with him, a number of engineers looked quite baffled by the pairing. Someone so scary, like Adrianna, looked like she had almost been tamed by the newcomer. Adrianna didn't even notice the looks, she was too focused on Vance and took happy to be around him.

OFF:

 

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