New Job, New Life, New Sister

Posted on Thu Jan 15th, 2026 @ 10:42pm by Lieutenant Adrianna Baciami & Lieutenant Commander Sabastian Walker

1,736 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Shore Leave - Starbase 1

ON:

Sabastian looked to his screen. There was a call waiting from a familiar ship. He sighed. Tapping the coms section he watched the screen shift from the Starfleet logo into a familiar face. "Gio. Hello."

Giovanni looked exhausted, his eyes a little sunken. "Hi Sebastian," he offered a small smile in greeting, but it didn't particularly last, "I heard about Zai. My condolences. If you need anything. Please let me know."

Sabastian studied him. "You look like you've gone through it with a Nausiccan warrior. What's going on?"

Gio ran his fingers through his head and chuckled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "You should see the Nausiccan warrior." It was clear that he was joking. "You know about our losses. Ade said she'd told you in passing because you were about to fire her for her attitude," he paused, "I'm dealing with Adrianna not playing ball, and trying to keep the family together. Oh, and I went back to work last week. We've just got back from this mission that was... Draining to say the least. We're about 2 days from the base you're ship is on."

Sabastian sighed. "I'm so sorry for your loss Gio. Your parents were remarkable people. I know that Zai..." His voice broke. "I know that Zai saw them as the parents he always wanted. They treated him like a son in those times they met him." He paused. "Adrianna has been...quite upset. As the XO I want to yank her off duty but I know she needs this, just like I need to be working. We're similar in that." He took a breath. "Did you want to meet when you arrive?"

Gio cleared his throat as Sebastian struggled. He was still struggling too. "I think we may be able to help each other-- captain to XO. But, friend to friend, there's a great bar on the station and I think we both need it."

"God yes. Between you and me I just wiped the floor with Lee Fang and I swear I scared myself. I need something stronger then Grapa for sure."

"Now that's a story that I need to hear," Gio smiled, "and don't worry-- this bar does the Klingon stuff."

He grinned. "Well then. See you at the blood wine barrel."


=/\= 2 Days Later =/\=

Sabastian waited for Gio at the table. The bar was...dark but really really atmospheric. It reflected how he felt. He leaned back in his chair and sighed.

Giovanni walked in, late and still in uniform. He she'd his jacket as he walked over and sat down opposite Sebastian, "sorry I'm late. Lower deckers seem to have a maturity issue. I get why Adie enjoys torturing them now."

"Meh they're not so bad when you give them something to do." He shrugged.

"Well, right now, they're scrubbing engineering with tooth brushes," Giovanni, raised his hand and ordered the strongest spirit they had, "so, on a scale of 1 to venting yourself... How are you doing?"

Sabastian held up his hands to show the bruising that had happened from Fang's face. "Recovering. Pissed off at ship's counselor and seriously contemplating a transfer. How are you?"

"You need to tell me about what happened there," Gio gestured to the bruising, "I've wanted to hit the man a few times for other reasons, but my sister seemed to like him. Or at least tolerate him better than me." Gio, sipped his drink and winced, "gawd, that's good." Taking a breath he shrugged, "it's difficult. I had my suspicions, but I didn't think it would happen as it did. Now I'm the patriarch, which is... Not for me... But until Ari gets a grip and takes her place with Vance, I'm stuck sorting everything out."

"She needs time to process and for what it's worth I think she and Vance will be good. That said you are doing a good job. I have no doubt." He sipped his own drink wincing at the strength but enjoying the burn. Sabastian held up one of the hands. "Fang was in change of the memorial. I understood that Zai's body would..." He swallowed hard his eyes misting. "Would be in a torpeado tube and then out to space but apparently Capellan's have a Viking funeral of sort so when they pushed him out the phasers blasted the tube to bits...I was not prepared for the agony of seeing it or for it even being an option so I voiced my displeasure."

"I'd agree with you, but Ade has said she doesn't want the position, because it means she'll have to be away from Vance. He signed some lifetime contract thing. If she doesn't get a grip, the family will lose everything that my parents helped build." Giovanni paused and his jaw went slack at what Sab said about the memorial, "I know we're supposed to be accepting of other cultures but... No... That's not one I could get behind. He blew him to bits in front of you and without warning? Why wouldn't you warn a guy!? I hope you out him in the torpedo tube after?"

"Well I did enough damage. Zai's sister was calm as a Vulcan. She said it's keeping with Capellan Traditions, praised Fang. I... I don't even remember how I got to my quarters but after he came to "check on me" I kind of just lost my head. Bastard learned the Vulcan nerve pinch and it pretty much saved his ass." Sabastian sighed. "Since Vance is core Engineering I could call in a few favours see if I can do something about this life time contract thing."

Gio shook his head, "you did what you did for good reason. I very much would have done the same had i have been blindsided like that. If you need a change in ship, our XO and chief engineer are both retiring." He took a breath and sighed, "no amount of strings can be pulled for that one. That man's on a lifetime contract for good reason. It was that or murder charges-- inclusive of fleet. I knew he was a smuggler-- a notorious one that Ade was sent to investigate, but I didn't quite know how ruthless he was. I love my sister, and I love this reformed Vance, but if I'd have know half the stunts he pulled no would have shot my sister for even considering being with him. But that's me being a big brother."

He snorted. "Vance is more legend. Let me see if I can find some stuff out and see if there is a way to transfer that life time to Earth?"

Giovanni nodded, "it would help. Because of Adrianna, my network is rather limited. An assumption is made that we're all a little..." He shrugged not finishing the sentence, "still, if Vance can move to the Rome facility, maybe Adrianna will do her family duty and quit. Gawd knows my parents seemed to think she would."

Sabastian sighed. "Yeah. I need to have a heart to heart with her. To be honest I wish I had taken Zai and just retired to Betazed."

"I wish I had the balls to pop the question before my parents went," Gio sighed, looking into his glass, swirling the liquid, "We've all got regrets, but life is here to test us. Gawd knows it's doing a great job at that."

He snorted. "Yes well life can fu... fly off." He sighed. "I hate tests." He studied Gio. "I have something for you."

Gio looked up, "a sister that does as she's told?"

Sabastian snorted. "No, even I can't pull of that miracle." He reached down and pulled out a box. "Little known talent that Zai has he carves wood so he made a carving for you." He handed Gio the box. In it was a carving of the entire Baciami family in miniature."

Gio opened the box and smiled softly, nodding. He was trying to find composure, "you know, he put the rest of us to shame. That man was far too perfect and talented."

Sabastian's eyes misted. "Yeah. He was far beyond what I deserved."

"Even as a friend-- none of us deserved him," Giovanni topped up Sab's glass.

He smiled a little. "You know, your parents had a gift sent to us after we met. You were very lucky Gio."

"My mother had a huge heart and my father-- he hid his very well, but in the quiet moments, he'd show just how big his heart was," Giovanni smiled, "they could meet someone once and yet their home would be open to them. I would love to be that trusting and caring."

Sab smiled. "We're both jaded so that kind of nice...isn't possible for any of us." He paused to take a drink. "Are you seeing your sister while you are here?"

Giovanni snorted in amusement. He was right, neither of them were that in nature. He then ran his fingers through his hair and let out a deep sigh, followed by a drink, "she's avoiding all of us. The only one who knows what's truly going on is Vance, and even then-- she's shutting a lot of people out. Something about her being selfish and my parents going being the consequences. Don't get me wrong, Italians, we're superstitious, but Ade was never 'that' superstitious. She can barely say the word."

"Love makes us superstitious." He sighed. "As a hypocritical bastard I wish she would get counseling but I can't force her to do what I won't."

"Actually, the best counselling for her is reaching rock bottom," Giovanni said, "it's how she got over Vance when he 'died' years ago."

"I get that." He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I should go. I assume I've got some discipline to face for Fang's face."

"If it all goes to merde, there's a position on my ship," Gio grinned, "or, say you were drunk before the ordeal."

He sighed. "Without Zai there is not point in defending myself.

"Without Zai, there is still his memory and legacy," Gio offered, "our ship leaves in two weeks. Let me know what you want to do."

Sabastian gave a nod. "I will." He sighed. "And thanks. If you need to talk or just need someone to sit with you I am here my friend."

"That goes both ways," Gio nodded.

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