[One Final Run Part 2] Now or Never, Piccola

Posted on Tue Jul 15th, 2025 @ 4:34pm by Lieutenant Adrianna Baciami & Lieutenant JG Zai Walker

2,001 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Stars Around the Well
Location: Out In Space
Timeline: During Repair and Rest

ON:

Two hours later and they were well on their way. Constantine was napping, as Ade was on the first shift for the bridge. She felt nervous for a number of reasons. She had a pregnant woman on board on a potentially dangerous mission; she was nervous for Annabelle and her confession to Vance; she was nervous about how Vance would take Ade knowing about Annabelle for some time; she was nervous about the upcoming wedding; most of all though, she was worried about the potential risks of her agreeing to this run to begin with.

They were heading back to the deserted moon she had done Vance's funeral on. She knew what she was walking into and why Lutz, the old mechanic, now captain of the Pendragon, had chosen It. It was a game to him, evidently. Adrianna used him on occasion as a source, but the bridges had been burnt for her when an assumption had been made that, just like the last Fleeter on board, she had got an Adams killed. This was dangerous for her.

The woman was lost in her own thoughts, her fingernails tapping anxiously and rhythmically on the arm of the seat. Her other hand, played with her necklace-- her half. Her heart was pounding out of her chest as she absently gazed out at the stars heading towards her, whilst curled up in the captain's chair

Vance came up top the bridge and handed her a Tea. "This will help with the nerves. That's not an easy chair to sit in."

She jumped out of her skin as he pulled her from her spiraling mind, "Even whilst at the academy, I never wanted to be a captain. I must admit, it's definitely not an easy seat when you are also on board. Feels odd." She took the tea and smiled, sipping it, "when I got picked up by the USS September after I got my cover blown, I kept seeing you. It was like I'd assumed your death long before I was told about it. I remember being on a shuttle to the station and I was the most senior onboard. The other person was napping in the back and I was supposed to be in the captain's chair-- I genuinely don't know how we got back to the base. I had visions of you flying the shuttle and couldn't sit in the seat. When I did, you were sat there there too, right behind me, telling me what to do. You were such a condescending tutor. But I know it wasn't real, I was just... I don't know."

"It's normal. You thought I was gone so your mind was processing and everything that happened."

She smiled up at him, "I didn't know at that point." Adrianna sighed and stood up, nursing her mug, she instinctively stepped aside for him to sit in the captain's chair, but shook her head realizing and sighed at herself. She then sipped her tea again and stood close to him, "are you alright or is being on an intel missions scaring you, mister engineer now."

He shrugged. "I honestly don't know. I've lived both lives but ... well the first was necessity. I had my sister to take care of and steeling food from neighbors and clothing for her to wear was not something long term. Now...well I kind of like the quiet life. I made a fuss about signing the life time contract with Starfleet but honestly I prefer that life."

"I am sure that your sister appreciated the gravity of the situation. But, I won't complain about you being on the right side of law now," she smiled, kissing him softly, "I won't get my ass handed to me for falling in love with a target or worse." She sighed and stepped away from him, "I need to admit to you-- you scared me last night, but thank you. I'm sorry that I put you in this situation to begin with, I never should have agreed to date Jason. I thought I was ready to move on and then-- well, I wasn't."

He snorted. "Now why did I scare you last night?"

"I guess, I've just not seen you that angry in a long time," she admitted, "I'd forgotten how far you'd go for me-- for anyone you loved. I don't know how to describe it, or even why it scared me, but it wasn't a bad thing, I promise. I'm just sorry that I didn't speak to you last night after they released you or this morning before I left. I wanted to thank you for resolving this mess for me. I should have said that I needed help but it had all gone quiet when Jason transferred ship, so I thought it was over. When he showed up he said it was because of you not me though. Which begs to question-- what did you do to make a man want to take revenge like that?"

He sighed. "I may have rigged your brothers ship to .... um...form an allergy to him."

Adrianna's eyes went dark, but the darkness quickly faded, "I can't stay mad at you for that. At least he's gone-- properly now and he can get the help he needs." She took a breath, "next time you pull a stunt like that though-- putting me at risk by association, I'll beat you up myself."

Anabelle snort laughed. "It's how he's always been. He tends to get into the frame of a three year old when he's taking revenge. I was once green for a week when I didn't eat my vegetables." Her eyes widened as she realized she'd spoken. She'd heard them talking and was going to turn away but their topic of conversation pulled her in.

Vance who'd been animated a moment ago froze.

Adrianna chuckled, "makes sense that the pair of you would be both vengeful puttanas." Ade shook her head, "seems to be a flaw in engineers." Adrianna looked over to Annabelle and smiled, taking a step away from Vance. If this was her way of telling Vance who she was, she wasn't about to get in the way.

Vance's eyes narrowed. He wasn't in good spirit anymore but his entire being had darkened. "What did you just say?"

Annabelle stepped back. "I...um..." She shook her head loosing her nerve. "Never mind."

Vance moved like lightening grabbing her arm before she could move away. "How did you know about that incident. Who the hell are you and tell me why I shouldn't vent you now. Only three people know about that story and two of them have passed away."

Adrianna chose not to step in, but did fire off a verbal warning shit, "Vance! Breathe." She looked back at Annabelle, "now, or never, Piccola."

She pulled her arm back rubbing it above the elbow to rid herself of the pain. She looked at Adrianna.

Vance looked between the two. "What are you two conspiring about?"

"If not now, then it's never," Adrianna ignored Vance's question, "and you follow through with what we discussed."

She sighed. "I was there Vance. I was green. You told me if I didn't eat my vegetables I would turn green I have no idea what you did but I turned green overnight...no scratch that I had no idea. I did research after and there is an Andorian tea that does this to humans. Harmless and fades in five days which is all it took for me to eat a lifetime worth of veggies." She smacked his shoulder. "Ass!"

Vance stood frozen as if his brain was not computing what she was saying. He didn't move a muscle.

Adrianna looked at Vance and approached him cautiously, "Vance?" She paused and looked back at Annabelle, "you know men... Be blunt and tell him."

"Back on that cliff... I realized I should have listened to you about a lot of things. I couldn't let him hurt you."

Vance, it seemed had stopped breathing and then he shook his head. "No. It's not possible." He repeated that phrase getting angry. She was telling a lie. He didn't believe it.

Adrianna could see the anger rising and knew that it was starting to look volatile. She whistled loudly and Constantine soon emerged rather sluggishly, still half asleep. Adrianna said something quickly in Russian and he nodded, looking at Annabelle, "Walker, the replicator is on the Fritz in the mess. You're an engineer, right?"

Adrianna stepped in front of Vance, keeping her voice low just for his ears, "one, nine, nine, seven. I need you back with me, Vance." She used the safety code they'd had between the couple, practically begging him to refocus on her, "Please."

Anabelle gave a nod and scurried out.

Vance slammed his fist into the bulkhead as she left. "How does she know all this? I knew she was some trick the Fleeters are using. She needs to be vented!"

Adrianna waited for Annabelle to definitely be gone before she spoke. Thankfully, with the intel training, she didn't even flinch at him punching the bulkhead. She timidly stepped over and put her hand on Vance's arm, trying to inspect his hand to make sure that he hadn't injured himself too much. "Vance-- I did my research. She lost her memories when she hit the water. By the time she got them back-- Vance, she is convinced that you hated her for what transpired, feeling that it was her fault. Her dying. All for not listening to you. It has taken weeks for me to convince her to say something. She hasn't even told her husband in fear that it will make him love her less, knowing her truth."

She looked to the floor, she could take him being mad at her for not telling him, "I couldn't out her. This had to come from her. This is no Fleet trick, amore mio, I promise and I would not lie to you. Not about this, especially. She is Ari."

Adrianna tried to meet his gaze in a moment of confidence , trying to encourage him, "I never believed in miracles, but against all odds, I got you back. And now, you get her back."

He shook his head violently his eyes filled with tears. "No! No if she's alive then I failed to find her. All these years...I didn't even look!"

Adrianna shook her head and gripped his upper arms, demanding that he looks at her, "you did not fail. You searched endlessly. You did not give up, because you kept her alive in you mind-- with stories and love; with the way you lived and the way you love. Amore mio, hope is a terrible thing to lose. I lost it with you and you lost it with her. However you feel towards her, is no different from me to you."

She moved her hands up and rested her hands on his cheeks, "Vance, please. Do not see this as a failure. See this as an opportunity to make things right and to make up for lost time. Do not let her slip through your fingers again."

He shook his head. "It can't be her. It's not her." The tears started to fall.

"I have run all of my checks," she replied softly, trying to calm him, "I have checked, so many times. I even sent a DNA sample off. Vance-- it's Ari-- her orchid birthmark and all."

His eyes widened. He shook his head in a last ditch effort to deny it but then it was as if his legs gave out and he dropped to the floor. First time looking broken.

Adrianna closed her eyes, struggling to see the man she loved so much, so broken. She wrapped her arms around him, holding him upright, his head to her abdomen. Running her fingers through his hair she whispered, "It's ok, Amore mio."


To Be Continued...

 

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