Part II - Lunch Date

Posted on Sun Nov 24th, 2024 @ 12:52am by Lieutenant JG Zai & Lieutenant Adrianna Baciami

1,661 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Stars Around the Well
Location: Engineering & Mess Hall |USS Arcadia
Timeline: Just before entry into Dead Zone

ON:

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.

Vance sighed. "So what do you feel like for lunch?"

"Personally, a salad," she smiled, "but we can just go to the mess and grab whatever. Nothing fancy."

He grinned. "Good cause I need food. The thruster thing almost killed me. I keep forgetting how rule oriented Fleet is. Although my solution wasn't exactly by the books. Fang will go nuts when he sees it but Zai's in charge so will let them fight it out."

Adrianna sighed, "please don't get yourself kicked off of the Arcadia, amore mio. I had to bribe Fang to get you here."

He laughed. "Well without my fix the ship would be dead in the water so he may overlook this one thing."

"I'm grateful," she replied, "we may need a quick escape, depending on what we're heading into."

"I don't like this place. Fang issued an all stop. They are announcing it but all civilians are to leave if they want family & Civilians that want to leave will be shuttled to a Vulcan colony nearby while get go exploring. Back when I had the Pen we avoided this route it was known as...well the space triangle on the account of things going in but not out."

Adrianna nodded. "I thought the coordinates were familiar. I just couldn't place why I knew them," she smirked teasing him a little, "not scared, are you, capitano? Consider it an adventure. We finally get to find out what causes the space Bermuda Triangle. I would like to also remind you that we also used to use dead zones like it to hijack ships, so you can't be that scared."

He laughed. "No sweetie I made dead zones to use this one just creeps me out."

She grinned, "merde, amore mio, you're scared? Come on... A little adrenaline is good for you." Her eyes almost challenged him.

He sighed. "Yeah but still. Scared means you react quicker. I'm sleeping as much as I can now so I can stay awake."

"I promise that I won't keep you late at mine," she smiled and blushed, "we do need to talk about what happened though."

He sighed. "Yeah. Should I run now. I swear your brothers will like vent me."

"No they won't," she chuckled, "they would be hypocritical if they did. Amore mio, we were about to run away together and get married. I do not need a piece of paper or a ring, legally binding us. We are each others. If them moment is right, what is the harm? We love each other. Nothing is going to stop that."

He sighed. "I get it but I don't want to seem...like a Neanderthal. I want you to know you are worth waiting for."

Adrianna couldn't help but smile at him, taking a moment to just gaze into his eyes in silence, "if we had not have been interrupted, I would have been very happy. It takes two, Vance. We both want each other." She then paused something running through her mind causing her cheeks to flush red.

He sighed. "And this is light lunch conversation." He laughed.

"Merde," she cussed under her breath, "sorry. I just want to make sure that you don't say something stupid like when you gave up trying to kiss me."

He laughed. "Not that stupid."

"Promise?" She asked, "even if we get interrupted a million times, please don't give up."

He laughed. "We have a life time love."

"You said that last time," she reminded him, "but I take your point. Anyway, I was going to ask. How are your dancing skills. I don't remember."

"Still amazing as ever." He laughed. "Why?"

"Mamma has chosen this bar on Starbase 2," she replied, "they have this dance night-- traditional mariachi and such. Wondering how your salsa is."

"I can do it. Pretty much the only dance you will never catch me doing is the tango." He snorted. "Too many cartoon traumas."

"You have me curious," Adrianna giggled, "it's a shame though. I was looking forward to dancing with you again, to practice."

He smiled. "Well see what we can do."

She smiled, "I seem to remember you being a good partner last time we danced together. That was when we were pretending to be married so that you looked like more of a family man for a deal. Oh gawd. I swear I still get an itchy stomach every time I see silicone."

He laughed. "But you looked amazing."

"With a fake baby bump?" She chuckled, "I must have looked terrible. I was sneaking drinks all night."

He laughed. "Well it was fake so it's all good."

"Just grateful that no one saw," she smiled, "it may have cost you that deal."

He snorted. "Not likely." He sighed. "I miss the old crew I wonder what happened to them?"

"Umm," she ran her fingers through her hair, "three work for me as informants. Two are behind bars. The rest-- I don't know."

He sighed. "I still miss them." He grinned. "I make a hell of a space pirate."

"Next time I talk to me of them, I'll call you," she smiled, "you said that you wanted to retire. I told you that you would miss it. You said that you wouldn't. I'm obviously being proven right."

"I miss being a pirate but I have you so that makes up for it all." He grinned. "Now then. I suppose this dance thing requires me to get all spruced up?"

"I have to wear a dress and heels, so you need to look somewhat respectable," she chuckled, "go to Zai for help."

"I was planning to. That man knows suits." He sighed and reached out to take her hand. "Can we elope?"

She blushed, "you need to propose first, amore mio. What brought it to mind? Has something happened?"

"No just found Zai and Sabastian's marriage romantic."

"Jealous?" Adrianna couldn't help but smile, before shaking her head, "Madonna, you are scared of this dead zone."

"I am. At least I know I went out your husband."

She shook her head in amusement as she had done when she thought he was joking about retiring with her, "I'd just be happy dying knowing that I was yours-- title of husband or not. At least you wouldn't be like me-- dying a vir-- " She blushed and shook her head, "don't be jealous of Zai and Sabastian, amore mio. What we have cannot be compared."

He grinned. "Yeah but Sabastian's so good at the sappy stuff."

"He may be sappy," she replied, "but you blew up a Romulan ship and had a Starfleet vessel raided for me. Sabastian merely beat up Fang." She chuckled, "you cannot compare us, amore mio... Because we're better." She playfully added.

He laughed. "Still. When we enter the zone I want you to stay close, okay?"

Adrianna squeezed his arm a little, "I'll be on the bridge for the majority, amore mio, it is my job. I cannot stay with you in engineering , or have you on the bridge with me. I won't be far. We're on the same ship. We will still try to have meals together, or a drink. My shifts will be a little -- Madonna, what's the word? Caotico... ca...ca...caot... ah, it's the same, word, sorry... chaotic-- my shifts will be a little chaotic because of being a department head, but we'll make it work. If you are that nervous, stay with me in my quarters."

He laughed "We both know where that will lead and I can see your brothers in my mind."

"Didn't think you liked that sort of thing," she grinned before rolling her eyes, "you know what, I don't know where it will lead. Try thinking on that. But, I will say this, I will personally shoot the next person who interrupts us."

He threw his head back and laughed. "I'm sorry but I could totally see you doing that."

"Thank you," she beamed, "I was tempted whilst on the Pendragon, but as I was about to suggest it-- you gave up on me."

He laughed. "All in good timing my soon to be wife."

"Well, 'Vancy', we should get back to work," she sighed before a thought crossed her mind, "by the way-- don't ruin my reputation too much. I can't have everyone know that I am a sweetheart behind this terrifying mask." She smirked.

He snorted. "Ahhh so there is a reason one of the engineers said he'd pray for me when I said I was having lunch with you."

She grinned, "si, between people reading redacted files, going on frequent contraband checks on lower decks and threatening them all to silence following a prank on Zai -- I'm considered 'scary'. For the record, the files on you: they're heavily redacted, so your name isn't mentioned at all.

He snorted. "I'll bet. Admiral Lee mentioned as much when he made me sign the lifetime contract. Something about keeping an eye on the person who bewitched his daughter. I never got that."

She smiled, "your story is not mine to tell. I will only say 'we have been together for years'." She stood up and kissed him softly, "I'll see you for dinner."

He smiled. "Yeah I should get back. Annabelle has booked me for the entire day to work with her. That kid is super smart."

"Smart mouthed and quite the bitch," she muttered with a grin, "no, seriously, I like her."

He laughed.

OFF:

 

RSS Feed