Changing Rooms

Posted on Sat Jul 19th, 2025 @ 6:56pm by Lieutenant Adrianna Baciami & Lieutenant Commander Sabastian Walker

1,280 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Stars Around the Well
Location: Starbase 6

ON:

Sabastian and Zai had invited Adri and Vance for lunch. The ship was just about to leave on a new mission and because of all the tight quarters they had to have separate weddings. Zai and Sab had sent wedding presents and vice versa. This was a post wedding time for both couple to come together.

Vance sat at the table on the station and held Adri's hand. They had ordered coffee and were waiting on Zai and Sabastian. Vance tapped his free hand on the table, a nervous gesture.

Adrianna absently ran her thumb over Vance's knuckles, instinctually feeling his nerves. "The last time you were like this it's because you forgot to tell me that the faction we were meeting were sexist and I wasn't allowed to speak and yet I still had to translate for you. What's wrong?"

"Just thinking about Zai and Sabastian...from what I heard if the compatibility wasn't right they could both die. I'm just worried. Those two have become like Family."

Adrianna nodded and smiled, "amore mio, even if it failed-- what a way to die-- dying because you chose to love against fate." She looked at him, "either way, I am sure that they are fine. They seemed perfect for each other."

Just then Sabastian walked up. He wasn't what he once was. His brown blonde hair was now Raven black, his grey eyes looked like a molten silver. Even his face seemed changed slightly, younger, stronger. Behind him was Zai. The black hair he once had still long and turned completely white, his purple eyes a deep shade of amethyst.

Vance whistled. "Damn."

Adrianna's eyes widened a little bit then quickly said to Zai, in Italian, "tell the husband that the change is good-- he's scared you're dying." Adrianna stood up and hugged them both separately, kissing their cheeks too.

He grinned. "The change means that all is well. Had we not gone through the metamorphosis it would have been bad." Sab and Zai each hugged and kissed Adriana and shook hands with Vance.

Zai turned to Vance. "Worried Adams?"

Vance snorted. "No."

Zai grinned at Adri. "How was your wedding."

Adrianna simply looked at Vance with a loving smile, a clear tell in her eyes about how well the wedding had gone, her cheeks even flushed in response. She then cleared her throat and looked back at Zai, "it was beautiful. It was recorded, I'll send it to you later. Vance even included a custom from Freecloud." She blushed even more before shaking her head in amusement, "but what about yours? How was it?"

"It was small, personal. We will share our recording as well. The bonding ceremony was long. First by Vulcan Tradition, then by Betazoid, and finally Zai's people." Sabastian said. He squeezed his husband's hand. "Zai...also passed the throne to his sister. She will now be queen and he just a prince."

Zai turned away looking out the window, a sadness seemed to linger there.

"I umm," Adrianna paused, "just before the wedding, I managed to arrange a trip to see the Pendragon. Intel mission styled. No-one on the manifest but the main intel officer on the mission... We took Ari too..." She looked at Vance, still feeling a little guilty.

Sabastian laughed. "Yeah I figured that when my brother resigned and joined his wife in being a space pirate."

"Well, as long as he keeps his mouth shut about being ex-fleet, I'm sure Freecloud will treat him well. They like your kind-- muscle and straight talking. If you ever lose track of him and want to stay in touch, it's a close friend of mine who works with them." She clearly left off the part about Connie being her ex, but they were friends first and foremost.

He shrugged. "Thanks." Sabastian looked at Zai. "Alright Darling?"

Zai smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. "Fine." Turning to Adri he said, "How was the honeymoon?"

Sabastian looked over at Adri, "Coincidentally Zai has something he has to ask you."

Adrianna blushed as flashbacks of the honeymoon came to the forefront of her mind. She blinked them away, and cleared her throat. Ignoring the question completely she looked from Sebastian to Zai, "what is it that you have to ask me?"

"The final aspect of handing over power to my sister...I need to be shunned by the elders. It's not a real shunning, a ceremony but it will involve." His words broke.

"It will involve cutting his hair. It is now all the way to the small of his back." Sabastian said putting an arm around Zai. "It would be one cut to just above the shoulder and you would present it to the new leader. Usually it's done by a female relative and while you are not blood, we both see you as a little sister."

"As if I didn't have enough older brothers," she muttered before nodding with a gentle smile, "you already asked me, and I said yes. Just tell me when and where, cucciolo."

Zai gave a nod. "Tomorrow morning. This way it's done before the ship leaves."

Adrianna nodded, "of course. Just give me the guidance."

Zai gave a nod. "Thanks."

Sabastian changed the subject. "Now then let's talk about something else. I hear you two got a new puppy."

Adrianna smiled, "si, Vance bought me a cucciolo. I've called him Ragu."

"Now that's a name!" Sabastian said. "So how does it feel being married?"

"Not much different to just being together," Adrianna replied honest, looking at Vance to see if he had anything to add, "what about you?"

"This mind link...changed things. We're more in tune then ever." Sabastian grinned. "Married life is good."

Adrianna smiled, "we are but mere humans. The only thing Vance knows without me having to ask is my need for coffee before talking first thing in a morning, grappa after a long day and something ridiculously stupid when I'm missing home." She looked over and Vance and kissed his cheek, "I mean, there is another perk of being married, but I'm afraid that is between myself and him, and preferably never to be interrupted by my family or you two again."

Sabastian laughed. "Oh hey you know how you used Zai's tub to soak?"

Adrianna raised a brow, not liking how this topic was starting, "si... I also have memories of him threatening to come in when I didn't respond to his incessant barrage of questions whilst I was trolling to relax, which probably would have ended up with him being scarred for life."

Sabastian went on, "Zai and I are moving to different quarters. I've just been made XO. If you want Zai's quarters you can have the tub and window to the stars. I've had our new quarters modified. This way you and Vance can have a tub for two." He winked.

Adrianna blushed at the insinuation. She did however, look at Vance, "what do you think?" Vance simply leaned in and whispered something in her ear making her blush even more. "I, umm, si, that sounds like a good idea, Sebastian. And congratulations on the promotion." Eager to stop any further emotions from being ready by empathy, she changed topic, "any idea on what the latest mission is? I have not received the briefing yet."

"I have as briefing in the morning so we'll see how things go. It's being kept quite close so I'm starting to worry it's not as simple as it seems." He sighed. "I guess I'll find out in the morning."

Adrianna snorted in amusement, "we've just had a complicated mission-- what's one more headache?"

 

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