PART I - Cancelled Plans

Posted on Mon Nov 25th, 2024 @ 10:51pm by Lieutenant JG Zai & Lieutenant Adrianna Baciami

1,007 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Stars Around the Well
Location: USS Arcadia
Timeline: Pre Dead Zone Entrance

ON:

Coms had started to get a bit sketchy the closer that they got to the triangle. Adrianna had spent every possible second ensuring that she had spoken to family. It was the benefit of no longer being undercover. Frankly, the moment she took a standard posting, she knew that she would be speaking with her family more.

She hadn't intended to it to happen, but exhaustion had crept up on her. Between spending as much time as possible with Vance, working on the bridge and pulling overtime to try and help reduce any issues once they lost Coms, she had dropped off to sleep. She was still in her office, but it didn't matter to her. It was going to be a long night. She was curled up in her armchair, clearly mid taking off her boots and mid message to her mother. The message was in standard. Knowing she was tired, she opted to stick with the most helpful of languages at the forefront of her mind. The message read as follows:

'[...] Please, mamma, I know what you are saying but I cannot drop something like that on Vance. Not here, not now. It would be unfair to him to put him under so much pressure. Can we just see how everything goes first? I appreciate your stance on the matter, but whilst I do not hold any secrets with Vance, that is one thing I will hold to my chest until the right time. The right time is not when we're about to head into a dead zone and [...]'

Vance tapped his fingers on the table. This was late and Adri wasn't usually late. This was the second time. He sighed. He decided to go find her. He swung by her quarters, empty, and then he headed to her work place. It didn't take him long to get there. He stood outside her office and rang the chime.

There was no answer, but an ensign walked past, "she should be in there. I've not seen her leave."

He sighed. He pressed the door knowing if it was locked he as shit out of luck but to his surprise it wasn't. The door opened and he stepped inside.

There Adrianna was, in the state her body had given up in. Half curled up in an armchair, screen on display, in a silent slumber.

Vance sighed. He walked over to the chair and knelt by her side. "Adri?" He gently pushed a bit of hair that had fallen behind her ears.

She stirred a little, kissing his palm before resting her head in his hand, "altri cinque minuti-- please." She curled up a little tighter.

"You're asleep. Come on Love. It's time to go sleep."

She woke up at the familiar voice. She blushed a little, uncurling herself, "I'm late for dinner, aren't I?" Her body seemed to groan as it had been in such a terrible position for so long.

"You need to sleep." He laughed. "Come on let me help you."

She gestured to her screen, "no, I need to respond to my mother, eat, and then get back to work. Sleep is-- fifth or sixth on my to do list." She used his hands to get up. Once on her feet she stretched a little, her joints and spine cracking in retaliation.

"No, you are getting back to your mother and then you are going to sleep. Not optional."

She sighed, "can you get my message device, please?" She reached over and tidied up her desk, "I may pull the same stunt that you used to on the Pendragon. I'd walk you back and no sooner had I left, you would be back out of your quarters." The woman yawned, Adrianna knew she needed rest.

"Excellent, so I'm staying over, on the sofa."

She groaned, but it was more at the thought that she couldn't escape that of him opting for the sofa. She held out her hand for her PaDD. "Mamma first, before she thinks my silence is a yes."

He laughed. "We'll put the call in from your quarters. Come on." He stood up and held out his hand.

"No, no, just need to reply to the message, that's all," she smiled holding his hand, yawning again, before kissing his cheek, "in fact, I think I wrote it. Can you just press send, please."

He smiled. "I will." He held her hand. "Let's go then. No sneaking out, straight to bed for you."

She practically leaned on him for the entire walk back to her quarters. "I have no issues in sharing in bed to save your neck and back. Same rules as when I couldn't warm up after a swim that one time. Too tired for anything anyway."

He laughed. They got to her quarters and he smiled as he tucked her in. "To bed with you. I'm going to send your message then I have a few work things to review. Mind if I use your desk?"

She yawned, not needing much persuasion, "my home is your home, amore mio. " Without even thinking, she changed from her uniform to his lucky shirt and then allowed him to tuck her in. Her eyes were heavy and she drifted off so silently and peacefully.

He kissed her forehead and headed out to the living room area where he sent her message and then sat at the coffee table working.

Her Coms screen chirped a few moments after. A response from her mother, translated to standard. It read: "you need to ask him, or I will. You should not be hesitant-- it is unfair of you to withhold this information from Vance, Adrianna! Further more, why not? You love him, right? What is the harm. You would get to that point anyway."

Vance stared at the message on screen. He looked back to Adri's room. She was fast a sleep but... Something like butterflies filled his stomach. Was she hiding something from him?"


To Be Continued…

 

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