Wedding Woe - Part II
Posted on Sat Nov 30th, 2024 @ 9:10pm by Lieutenant JG Zai
1,463 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission:
Stars Around the Well
Location: Main Engineering | USS Arcadia
Timeline: On the Trip to Dark Zone
ON:
Sabastian left Zai in their quarters while he went to engineering to see his brother. He explained what had happened and enlisted Frankie's help since he was friends with a Vulcan in personnel. He could do nothing but wait now. He was pacing in engineering when he heard a familiar voice.
"This is not your neck of the woods, at least not on my ship."
Sabastian's lip curled in a sneer. "Not your ship. I'm waiting for Frankie."
"Then wait outside, this is an engineers only place."
Sabastian stared him down. "I'll remember that when you are on my station."
Fang stared back at Sab and then finally sighed. "What's the matter you look...upset."
"Don't need your advice or concern. I'll be outside."
Fang sighed as he watched Sabastian leave. He shook his head as he headed deeper into Engineering to run the tests on emergency system.
***
Sabastian had just left engineering when he bumped into Frankie. "Thank the Goddess, any news? Is there someone ordained on ship that can marry us like...now?"
Frankie shook his head. "My friend in personnel will check the records but it will take some time."
Sabastian sighed. "Fine. I'll head back to Zai, let me know."
Frankie gave a nod and headed into Engineering with Sab heading to the turbo lifts. He didn't like seeing that dejected look on Zai's face and he had to figure this out quick.
***
Elsewhere across the ship Zai made his way to the coffee shop. He got a drink with his name spelled out creatively and sat down to look at the stars. He didn't know how long he'd been there before he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Lieutenant Zai?"
Zai looked up and smiled. "Finny! How are you?"
"A right better then you it seems. You look like someone kicked yer dog."
He sighed. "No...nothing like that. Sabastian and I went to see the Captain to get married, we have all that we need in terms of paperwork and we signed it we just need someone official to sign and file them and maybe a little ceremony." He sighed. "But we'll wait until we're back at base."
"Now why would ya do that. You've come across the right person. By day I'm an engineer by night and also day I'm also an ordained Chaplin for Starfleet."
Zai's eyes widened. "You are?"
"Absolutely. If you give me an hour to shower and change and work something up I can meet you and yer husband to be at the observation deck bridge...this way ya get to see the stars during the ceremony. Make it more romantic since it's short notice."
Zai let out a sob. "Finny Anderson I could kiss you!"
"You'll be wanting to save that for Sabastian I reckon. Go on then, go find him."
Zai didn't waste any time, he practically ran out."
Once he was gone a figure from the shadows emerged. "Thanks Finny, I appreciate this."
Finny looked the new arrival up and down. "I don't get it. I thought you were upset that he chose Mr. Sabastian over ya."
Fang sighed as he slid into the seat Zai vacated. "Yeah well...I have things to make up for. When I heard him talking to Frankie about an officiant...Thanks Finny. I appreciate you doing this."
He smiled. "Yer still sweet on him ain't ya?"
"I honestly don't know. I love Zai but...the kind of love is dicey. I don't know if it's real love or friendship or just fond memories. I do care about him and I've done enough wrongs that this is something small I can do to make a right."
Finny smiled. "Well then. I have a ceremony to get ready for."
Fang watched as Finny stood and he grabbed Finny's forearm. "Make a good one okay? Something to make Zai happy and let’s not tell him or Sabastian I had anything to do with bring you and them together."
Finny gave a nod. "Will do boss, will do."
***
An hour later Zai and Sab stood facing one another. Zai in his dress pants and white shirt, his hair up in a neat bun and Sabastian in his dress pants and the silver shirt that made his eyes pop.
Finny stood in front of them with the passing stars as his backdrop.
"Now then," Finny began.
"We have come here today to join Sabastian Gabriel Walker and Xingtian also known as Zai in marriage. This institution is not to be entered lightly and when entered into it must be respected absolutely."
Sabastian tightened his hands around Zai's when he saw the glimmer of unshed tears beginning to gather there.
"Sabastian you and Zai came here today to pledge your love to one another and. I'm going to step aside and let you both speak from your heart."
Sabastian went first. "Zai, I pledge everything I am and have to you. From the moment I laid eyes on you I knew that you were the half of my soul that was missing. We've spent years apart but there is not a day that went by that you were not on my mind and in my heart. We've exchanged letters over the years and I have committed each word to my heart. I promise to love you, honour you, stand by your side no matter what life throws our way. I promise to only ever give my mind, heart, body, and soul only to you. I promise to take care of you, to laugh with you, to cry with you, and most importantly to grow with you. I will support you when you cannot stand, make you laugh when you are down, shield you in my arms when the world becomes too much. I promise to be your support, your friend, your lover, and most importantly I promise to be by your side until my life force ebbs away."
Zai pulled one of his hands back and wiped his eyes. "Now how the hell do I follow that?"
Finny and Sabastian laughed.
Zai took a steading breath. "Sabastian, my heart, my life, the very air that sustains me. I give you my heart, mind, body, and soul. You have always been the very force that sustains me. I know that you stayed back a year at the Academy and put your career on hold just to be with me and that year we spent together was the best I've had in my life. You make me feel loved and cherished in a way that I didn't even know existed. Every hardship that I've been through, every pain, and every tear I've shed it's all worth it because it led me to meeting you. I promise to be your husband, to love you, honour you, cherish every smile, every heartbeat, every moment. I promise to always build you up, to be your number one fan, to share in your happiness, to hold you in rough times. I would give my life for you. I promise to love you through a thousand lifetimes."
Sabastian felt a lump form in his throat. He swore he wouldn't cry but Zai's words and his honesty touched him in a way that nothing else could.
Finny sighed. "Well now, you will make an old engineer cry so no more of that sap. By the powers that have been given to me by the United Federation of Planets I pronounce you married. Partners in all and joined for this lifetime. May you always smile, may the rain never fall on ya, and may you always be provided for. Congratulations. You can now seal this ceremony with a kiss."
Sabastian smiled pulling Zai into his arms. Gently he lowered his lips to Zai's in a gentle kiss. He pulled back a little resting his forehead against Zai's. "Hello Husband."
Zai smiled. "Hello Husband."
Finny interrupted. "Um...just one more thing then. Zai what's yer last name ... for the paperwork."
Zai looked over at Finny. "Well I don't have one but from today on it will be Xingtian Zai Walker." He looked at Sabastian. "Is that okay?"
"Oh Gods yes Darling."
Finny sighed. "Well then I got paperwork to file and you two have a wedding to celebrate! You'll have copies in a few hours. I'll get it all squared away before we're in the dead zone."
They thanked Finny and all three headed out.
Below the observation bridge from the shadows Fang emerged. He sighed. "Congratulations," He said as he looked at the stars. Being there, hearing their words spoken to one another he was able to truly let go of Zai. It was time for him to heal. He truly did wish them well.
OFF: