One Last Run

Posted on Sun Jul 13th, 2025 @ 8:33am by Lieutenant Adrianna Baciami & Lieutenant Fang Lee

1,182 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Stars Around the Well

Adrianna walked into engineering, but not to see Vance or Zai. She had an agenda and not much time to pan it out. They were heading back to Starbase two and Adrianna had orders pop through. She still had friends in Intel, and this was something only a friend would offer.

Spotting Frankie and Annabelle, "sorry, Frankie, may I borrow your wife for a moment?" Adrianna had orders in her hands, but kept the screen hidden.

Frankie gave a nod. "Sure."

Annabelle smacked him on the arm. "Just give your wife away why don't you?"

Frankie stuck his tongue out at her a complete opposite to his serious countenance.

Annabelle smiled. "Let's go."

Adrianna saw a quiet corner, free from listening ears, but close enough for Frankie to know Ade wasn't saying anything that could hurt her, "a friend of mine from intel has got me added to a one off mission. Early wedding gift. She handed the orders over. It showed that it was a retrieval mission-- a relic had been stolen and the Pendragon had been sent to fetch it.

She allowed Annabelle to read it for a moment, "I am keeping it a surprise for Vance. But it will just be me and him, and my intel friend. If you were going to decide on your conundrum, this would be one hell of an opportunity. Away from the ears of those you don't want to know. Equally, I could use a second engineer on board. The item were retrieving is-- I need to make sure it's right, and having two engineers not one would be a godsend. If you decide yes, but chicken out, then no harm-- I just needed the extra eyes."

She sighed. "I guess so. I better tell him who I am since ... "

"Since?" Adrianna asked.

"Well since he's going to be an uncle."

Adrianna smiled sweetly, "congratulations, Piccola. He will be over the moon to have relatives of his actual blood." She paused, "this mission-- it's as safe as it can be. It's a simple transaction. If you need an excuse for Frankie or a promise of safety, I can do that. One thing-- no fleet. This is a plain clothes operation, ok?"

She smiled. "Absolutely. Frankie will be fine. I plan to tell him and Sab who I am...oh and this mission better not have any Orion's, The last time that happened Vance locked me in my quarters for a month even though I saved him and the crew."

She snorted, "gawd no, just the crew on the Pendragon. Most are still the same. Just one or two unfamiliar faces. You don't have to leave the ship if you want to but I'm sure they'd like to see you too. This is Val's last job too. She's finally retiring."

"About time that old bat left." She sighed. "Gawd I missed crewing on the Dragon."

"I'll send you the details, as it's an unmarked ship," Adrianna nodded, "I won't be pushing you to tell him whilst you're there. I can back up the idea you're there for engineering reasons. I do, however, expect you to be at our wedding-- think Vance could use a best woman instead of man."

She smiled. "Nawww. He needs a friend up there. I'll be there to cheer you all on."

Adrianna smiled, "as long as you are there. Anyway, I need to prep and ask Vance if he will be my engineer. Not a word about this being in association with the Pendragon."

"My lips are zipped. "Mari won't know anything."

"Mari?" Ade was confused.

"Vance. He's never told you his full name?"

"He probably has. Equally, I researched him enough when undercover. You call someone "just Vance" enough though and you barely remember his surname is Adams."

"I used to but him all the time. Vincent Aka Vance Mauricio Adams. I call him Mari...our mom was from Italy our dad ... well we don't know where he came from."

"Makes sense why my family fell in love with him so quick. They must have had a sixth sense-- italianodar," Ade chuckled.

She smiled. "You want to wig him out call him Mari." She laughed.

"Noted," Adrianna smirked, "anyway. I need to go before Vance sees me. Congratulations, again. If you need anything -- I know we don't know each other well, but I'm almost family..if you need something-- ask."

She grinned. "Sounds good."

***

Adrianna was in her office waiting for Vance to finish his shift and collect her so that they could grab dinner first. She toyed with her screen, rereading her orders. In her mind, she wondered how to play it.

Vance had done two back to back shifts and he was exhausted. He'd promised to meet Adri at her office and he headed that way. Thankfully today had been devoted to one task. Getting the faulty thruster out so that when they arrived on base they could get a new one put in. Sabastian had called ahead and told the station that they were one thruster down. The docking would be a nail biter but it could be done. He entered her office and smiled. "Sorry Dove. Today was a long one."

Adrianna smiled and gestured to the seat opposite her desk, "and for you, it's not quite over yet. Take a seat, Master Chief Vincent Mauricio Adams. We need to talk."

He groaned. "Oh God. Why do I feel like this will be a difficult one?"

She shook her head somewhat amused, "actually, a friend of mine in intel wants some help on a mission. I need two engineers. You are one and you'll be free. Fancy one last retrieval run?"

He groaned. "Adri....I'm supposed to be a good boy now."

She smiled, "it's because of your history that I chose you to help and I've got it approved. I need your eyes. Were retrieving some stollen tech. But, if you want me to go to an abandoned moon with two other engineers and my ex fiancé, in an unmarked and untraceable ship with no link back to fleet... Without you..."

"Wait wait wait. EX Fiancé Ex. Fiddle no! I'm going."

Adrianna chuckled, "we were childhood friends. His family produced vodka. He didn't realise he was gay until the day before the wedding, but-- thank you for agreeing to go. I learned a phrase... Oh gawd... What was it... No backsies!"

He groaned. "Fine, who's the other other Engineer? You know I rarely place nice."

"Annabelle," Adrianna replied, "I needed subtlety and I needed someone who went through the academy. Hope it won't be awkward."

He sighed. "It might be. Since that night at Zai's she's been avoiding me."

"I know, but I need her-- she's the only free engineer and frankly, one of the few I trust. She has said she'll play nice," Ade offered.

He sighed. "Fine."

"Excellent," she smiled, "in that case, you are dismissed, crewman... Go and take your wife to dinner-- preferably something light because she's about to be dead in the water. She's exhausted."

"Yes ma'am."

 

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