Trouble in Paradise

Posted on Thu Nov 28th, 2024 @ 12:26am by Lieutenant JG Zai & Lieutenant Adrianna Baciami

1,842 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Stars Around the Well
Location: Mess Hall| USS Arcadia
Timeline: Almost at Dead Zone

ON:

Zai sat in the mess hall pushing his food around the plate. He'd tried to give himself a boost with his Hamburger and fries but that wasn't working. He sighed as he looked out at the room. He could sense the worry. Being on Yellow alert scanning this dead zone had everyone on edge.

Everyone, that was, aside from a chirpy Comms chief, who was actually excited about the mission ahead. Call it curiosity, but she was itching for adventure. Adrianna grabbed her own food and sat opposite Zai, "my father used to say that food does many miles when a person is troubled. What's wrong?"

He sighed and then smiled at her. "Hello you. How's your day going?"

"Substantially better than yours, it seems," she smiled, "I'll ask again: what's wrong?"

"It's Sabastian. I think something is wrong."

"Talk me through it, whilst I eat," she encouraged, clearly starving.

He sighed. "It started after the last shuttle left for the Vulcan colony. We started moving again and what's it been two three days now and every night he has nightmares that he won't talk about. He has these...moments of fear, panic. He has constant headaches...to be honest I have them too but I think that it's all the stress of the crew. Empaths pick that up easy."

Adrianna nodded her understanding, "it doesn't have anything to do with your--" she was sure on the correct, or even non offensive, term for the physical changes they were undergoing from their bond. She simply gestured to Zai, hoping he would understand.

"No. It's got nothing to do with that...at least it shouldn't affect him like that." He sighed. "I think it has something to do with Lee Fang."

"Human children get nightmares during growth spurts-- nothing would surprise me," Adrianna commented before shrugging and returning to topic, "why do you think Fang has something to do with it?"

"Because Sab is not a mean person. He has a sweet soul and he's kind and forgiving but with Fang he's in a range when around him. He ... He always keeps his back to the wall and looks like he's ready to strike anytime. I've kept them apart as much as possible but..."

"Cucciolo," Adrianna sighed, "Sabastian sees Fang as someone who has hurt his love. There will be an uncertainty. Think about it: say I purposely hurt Sabastian and he forgave me. You would not forgive as easily because you would want to protect him." She paused, "for the record, I wouldn't stab him-- I was satisfied with merely breaking his nose."

Zai laughed. "Sab says it's the best thing that happened to him." He sighed. "Yeah I get that but I have a feeling that both of them are hiding something from me."

"Maybe you need to ask what," she offered, "Madonna, I hope it's not that they were once a thing. I think I'd vent myself."

He sighed. "That's what I'm afraid of. Everyone said that they were normal to one another before I came on the scene what if they were a thing and then I broke them up...."

"In one sense, should It matter?" Adrianna asked, "he's yours now."

He sighed. "Yeah...but if I'm being honest I'm afraid to ask."

"What is the worst that could happen?" She asked, "the past is the past. He's yours now."

"Yeah." He looked down at his food that looked like it had been mangled by a bear and pushed it away. "I think what really gets me is that Sabastian is the one hurting in all this. He wants so bad for me to be happy and have my friend back that he doesn't care if he's hurting...Sometimes, you know, I step back and say what did I do to deserve him?"

"I can't answer that," Adrianna replied with a sigh, "karma is a bitch to understand. What I do know is that he is evidently wanting you to be happy-- what are you sacrificing for him?"

"That's why I feel so guilty and why I ask what I did to deserve someone as wonderful as him. I'm not sacrificing anything for him but I need to get to the bottom of this with Fang because if he feels scared, angry, triggered by Fang and then regardless of what I want I don't want him around Fang."

"You know, you and the majority of men in my life seem to have one thing in common-- in fact, I may have used these words to you before," Adrianna chuckled, "just talk to them!"

He laughed. "Yeah. We are notoriously known for not talking." He smiled at her. "Thanks."

"If I can bring Fang to his knees in the ring, and manage to break Sabastian's nose," Adrianna mused, "imagine what I'll do to you if I find out that you continue to wallow in self pity instead of talking to the men in your life."

He laughed. "You my dear are a force to be reckoned with." He sighed. "I'll talk to them. Sabastian first he's more responsive."

"Damn right," she smirked, "I enjoy being feared. Why do you think I come down to engineering so often... Even before Vance was onboard?"

He snorted. "I have to hear the full story on that. I've heard snips but it's like a broken telephone the myth the legend, you know."

"Unfortunately, I cannot tell you that story-- you'll end up venting a few people in your department," she chuckled.

He laughed. "Ohh I do have something to ask you."

She nodded for him to continue since her mouth was full.

"Let me see that ring. I'm almost afraid to examine his work."

Adrianna chuckled, continuing to eat as she held out her hand for him to inspect.

He gave a low whistle. "Damn...he did good. I'm shocked."

"Don't look too hard at his," she murmured, "I've never tattooed anyone in my life-- not even myself. Someone else has always been there to do it for me."

He laughed. "I should hold a class."

"I have no intention of doing it again. Equally, if I ever have to, it would be an addition to the ones I already have, which aren't exactly rocket science. This is the third time he's tattooed me and I have no intention of making it a fourth thank you. I'm not a walking sketch book like him."

He laughed. "He likes his tattoos. This way he keeps what he loves close at all times."

"I have seen," she smiled, "good job on the portraits." She paused and thought 'why not', "his sister... You have to admit-- she looks like someone in your department, right? My frenemies."

"She does?"

Adrianna shrugged, "it suddenly came to me yesterday when I was helping Vance unpack. Came across a picture of Ari. I don't know, maybe it's just me."

"Hm...I'll pay attention but Ari died by falling off a cliff on Betazed...." His eyes widened. "Holy sugar foot."

"I've already contacted some friends to do some digging for me," Adrianna waved him off, "maybe it's just coincidence. Either way, let's not get hopes up. One miracle in a lifetime is rare, but two? Madonna."

He sat there. "Oh lord. Poor Vance this will be a shock to him...a good one but still."

"I hate to be selfish," Adrianna chuckled, "but if that woman doesn't like me, and she is who I think she is, then he could back out. Blood is thicker than water."

"Honey Vance will not loose you for any price. You are his world and if she is who you think then she'll want her brother happy." He sighed. "Shit I have to tell Frankie and Sab about this...or should I not say anything yet."

"I don't know," Adrianna had a moment of nervousness and I certainty seep out, but she cleared her throat and pushed it down, "as long as he's happy."

She shook her head, "as for telling people: until we know for sure, there is no point in allowing Vance to spiral with hope. Equally, if she remembers, then she's hiding it for a reason. If it comes to her naturally, then we'll let them sort it. But you and I both know that you cannot force memories. We tried with Vance."

He sighed. "Yeah." He looked at her. "Don't take what about to say the wrong way okay?"

She nodded for him to continue as she took a sip of her drink.

"I love you Adrianna."

She blinked and looked at him in a rather confused way, hoping that he would clarify. She knew he didn't mean romantically, but she was unsure of what brought him to say something like that.

"Relax not in that way. I just mean you're family now."

"I got that," she chuckled, "I'm missing body parts for it to be the other kind of love. I'm just confused because of a lack of understanding in what prompted you to say it."

He smiled. "I don't know I just...we don't say these kinds of things to the people we should say them to and life is precious and short so I just wanted it out there."

Adrianna cocked her head to the side, looking at Zai, mulling over what he had said, before she finally spoke, but in Italian in case anyone was listening, "remember the night that you had a break down over that necklace-- it was your engineers who had taken it. It was a prank. I merely threatened them to silence for their own good and for yours as you were in no state to take that kind of joke. That's why they're scared of me. The guy that had actually taken it had read too many files and heard too many rumours about me-- so when I acted, it solidified what he thought he knew about me. He almost pooped himself. Gawd, it was beautiful. I did it publicly in engineering, so the rumours flew around. That's why their scared of me."

Adrianna paused and switched back to standard, "I don't say that I love people enough-- I'm guilty of that-- but I show it and demonstrate it."

"Awww you're kind of making me want to hug you but I don't want to ruin your image." He grinned.

She snorted, almost choking on her drink, "gawd, don't. I can't have everyone on this ship knowing that I'm a sweetheart. I'll have to start sacrificing an engineer to the venting gods for every person that finds out."

Zai threw his head back and laughed. He wiped a tear from his eye. "Oh gods I needed that."

"I'm being deadly serious," Adrianna chuckled, "can you feel me lying, mister empath? No. Right then." It was clear from her look that she was joking.

He snorted. "Ugh. Well I should get back to engineering. Pop by and scare the locals anytime."

"Aww, you know how to make a girl feel loved," she grinned.

OFF:

 

RSS Feed