Angel Of The Sea.

by Carolyn L. Prime

Angel is back aboard seaQuest, she and Dr St St Claire and Jeff are there for the underwater conferrence. But the conferrence doesn't go smoothly as half of the people there been come mysteriously sick.

The Angel Trilogy:
Part 2. Angel of the Sea.
By Carolyn L. Prime.


seaQuest time line: Year 2021, after the season 2 episode "Vapours".

seaQuest.

Seaman Tony Piccolo carried the heavied bag of packages that had just arrived on the seaQuest he carried them down the long corridor. Piccolo stopped put the bag down, fixed his light blue shirt and then picked up the bag and went on to continue his walk to the crew mess hall. In the mess hall Lieutenants Tim O'Neill and Miguel Ortiz, with Ensign Lonnie Henderson were all seated at a metal table eating their meal. O'Neill looked at the stew, it looked more and more like pig slop, he looked at the chocolate cake that was desert. It had more appeal than the stew. Piccolo walked in and put the heavy bag on the ground.
"OK everybody presents from civilisation have arrived!" Said Tony with a board grin on his face. He handed out the packages to the people present. He gave Lonnie a parcel wrapped in brown paper it was from her mother.
"Cookies, chocolate chip cookies!" Lonnie said smiling. "My favourite!" She gave some to Ortiz, O'Neill and Piccolo.
Tony looked at Lt Tim O'Neill. "This is for you. It's come from half way around the world!" Piccolo stated.
Tim looked at the parcel. There were various stamps on it, but the places were of countries where he didn't know anyone there. He opened up the parcel and found a book of Greek mythology staring up at him. He looked at Ortiz, they smiled at each other. Turning the front cover O'Neill found a message written on the inside of the cover.

Happy Birthday Timmy,
I will see you soon!
Your Angel.

He continued to smile and he felt his heart leap. Angela Wilson or Angel as she was better known, had been aboard seaQuest two years earlier, when seaQuest was used in an archaeological survey on the remains of the ship the Eliza. On that visit Angel and Tim had fallen in love with each other. They had kept in good communication, and Tim kept his word and when he had shore leave for three months while the new seaQuest was being built, he went and spent his time with Angel.
Ortiz saw the message. "The Angel of mercy has sent a present again." The young Cuban had been friends with Angel and had heard the title 'Angel of mercy' used by one of the maritime archaeologist two years earlier.

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seaQuest, Captain's Quarters.

Captain Nathan Bridger sat in his chair at his desk, his hand right hand combed through his grey beard. He stared at the Vid Link screen, the Sectary General McGrath had just told him that seaQuest was to host a conference on the underwater environment. Eleven of the world's best scientist of underwater research and the environment of the ocean were to be present along with three UEO officials, McGrath included. Bridger was given the honour to also be a part of the conference as the designer of seaQuest and the important part was the UEO wanted to show off their super-sub to the world's best. Bridger smiled as he remembered that Lucas had been also put on the list as a few of his articles in the science journals had caught the eyes of these important people. Bridger pressed the comlink to the bridge.
"O'Neill put me on loud speaker for all the crew to hear."
"Yes sir!" O'Neill replied. Bridger could hear the communications officer punch the buttons. "You're on loud speaker, Captain"
"Thank O'Neill." He said than over the loud speaker the crew heard. "Everyone, I was just speaking to Sectary General McGrath, seaQuest has been chosen to host an environmental conference in three weeks time. Taking part in this will be Lucas Wolenczak and myself. We will be busy over the coming weeks and all I expect is your best by each crewmember. Bridger out."
On the bridge sat Lucas, everyone looking at him and congratulating him. Tim looked at him the teenager was shocked. Smiling Tim said. "You'll do well, Lucas!" O'Neill was envious for the attention Lucas got, Tim felt like no one thought him special. Then his mind flicked over to Angel and her smiling face. No, someone did think he was special and important.

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Three Weeks Later,
seaQuest, Launch Bay.

Ensign Lonnie Henderson and Lieutenant Tim O'Neill stood waiting at Launch bay 2 waiting for the doors to open. All of the scientists were on board seaQuest except three, who were still to come. Bridger and Lucas were with the other scientists in the wardroom, while Commander Ford had command of the bridge; everyone else was doing something. And so Lonnie and Tim were given the task to welcome the last three scientists. Lonnie did not mind she wanted to spend time with Tim, it had only been a month ago when she and Tim went out on a date, but nothing happened since. She wanted to know why; she liked him a lot and wanted something more out of their relationship. Lonnie was about to talk to him; the silence had gotten to her, when the door to Launch Bay 2 opened. The opened entrance revealed a man of his mid-sixties; he had a grin on his face as he looked at Lieutenant O'Neill.
"Well my boy it's good to see you!" Said one Doctor Baxter St Claire.
"Dr Saint Claire?" Questioned a shocked O'Neill.
"Yes my boy. The one and only!" The old man said as Tim stared at Angel's boss. Behind the man coming up the hatch was Jeff Petrie.
Jeff smiled at Tim. "This time I brought scotch!"
Tim laughed as he remembered the last time with the vodka and being locked up in the brig. "Good to see you, Jeff!" He said shaking the man's hand as Henderson watched on confused by it all.
From behind Jeff stood Angel. She thought it was like déjà vu, seeing the big submarine, standing in her Launch bay and meeting Lt Tim O'Neill, except this time his uniform was navy blue and not black, but he still looked handsome. She stared at Tim and smiled, it had been six months since she saw him last. She pushed past Jeff and Dr St Claire, and went to Tim. She wrapped her arms and legs around his body, so he had to hold her.
Looking into his brown eyes that were framed by his glasses she spoke. "I've missed you Timmy." And she gave him a kiss. The kiss was long and passionate, it held the absence that they had experienced and held the longing and desire for the other until they're last day on earth. When they broke a part, it was to hear Jeff say.
"Why don't you two get a room!" O'Neill smiled, he didn't care Angel was aboard the seaQuest again.
"So you're the three scientists they are waiting for?" Tim asked them.
"Of course my boy we had further to travel." Dr St Claire said which made Jeff and Angel laugh. Henderson's face held stone cold jealousy as she watched Tim and Angel. Tim was her boyfriend and why this woman was over him like bitch in heat, was beyond her. Lonnie knew she had to put a stop to it, and inform this Angel that Tim was her's, she thought as they walked Dr St Claire, Jeff and Angel to the wardroom.

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seaQuest, The Wardroom.

Bridger sat at the head of the oak conference table in his military dress; Lucas sat at his right. At least he gets to wear normal clothes, thought Bridger as he pulled the collar on his uniform. There were a variety of faces around the table; Sectary General McGrath and Admiral Phillips sat either side of the married couple, Doctors Wallace and Victoria Fairweather, the British marine botanists. While Admiral Watters sat in between, Dr Teresa Rojas, the Spanish marine biologist and Carlo Pasqua, the Italian marine horticulture specialist. The other people were Dai-Tai Chan, the Chinese aquaculture specialist, Kaisa Wasawhich, the polish marine horticulture specialist, Joseph Ghana, the Lebanese aquaculture specialist and Dr Mick Jones, the Welsh marine biologist. Just then Dr St Claire and his research assistants walked into the wardroom with a happy O'Neill and a pissed off Henderson.
"Thank you Henderson and O'Neill." Said Bridger dismissing his people. O'Neill and Henderson left, while Bridger welcomed Dr Baxter St Claire, Jeff Petrie and Angel Wilson to the environmental conference. Angel looked at the Captain's beard, she thought he looked good, but she liked him better clean-. Angel, however, wasn't going to tell Captain Nathan Bridger that!
"We will now start." Sectary General McGrath said to Bridger. "Captain will you start and tell us about seaQuest."
"Thank you Sectary General McGrath. Well I thought instead of sitting here and talking about the seaQuest, that if I give you all a tour I can tell you about her and you are all welcome to ask questions." Nathan said hoping they liked the idea. "Shall we?" he said getting up to go. All of the scientists and the UEO people got up and went for the tour. Bridger took them to the science labs and medical bay, the hydroponics room, the moon pool where Darwin swam to see the new people a board seaQuest. As the people left Angel hanged back to pat Darwin. Lucas stayed back too.
"Angel, Tim's mate!" Darwin said identifying her rank on the seaQuest.
Angel blushes as she turned to Lucas. "Still haven't perfected it?" She questioned.
"No!" Lucas said seeing her embarrassment. "But one day, I will!"
"Yeah you will!" Angel said, as she patted Darwin one more time. "I'll see you later Darwin!" She looked at Lucas. "We better complete this tour."
"Don't you find it boring?" Lucas asked hoping he wasn't the only one, as he ran his fingers in his blonde hair.
"Yeah I do and they haven't gotten to the brig!" Angel stated with a devilish smile.
Lucas returned her smile. "So that was true, Miguel and Tim wouldn't say if the rumour was true or not."
"It is all true!" Angel said as they went to catch up with the others. Thirty minutes later they were on the bridge.
"She's changed!" Angel said amazed by the same power this seaQuest had as the one before her. Even her crew where different than those of two years ago. Their uniforms had changed, but also the faces were different, no longer on seaQuest was Lt Commander Katherine Hitchcock, who was a Captain now on another submarine. Also missing were Lt Ben Krieg and Dr Kristin Westphalen, who each went their different ways before seaQuest II was completed.
"Yes she has hasn't she!" Lucas answered as Commander Ford came over to the group.
"I'm just giving a tour of the seaQuest, Commander." Bridger told him.
"Very good sir!" Commander Jonathon Ford said. As Nathan continued with his talking, Ford saw Jeff Petrie and grinned at the maritime archaeologist. "So you're back?"
"Yeah!" Jeff answered as he and the Commander shook hands.
"So do I get the brig ready?" Ford asked with a smirk.
"How many of you guys know about that?" Jeff Petrie asked disgusted that nearly everyone knew.
"I think the whole ship." Ford replied. He turned to Lieutenant James Brody who stood near by. "Be careful of him, Brody! He likes to lead everyone to drink and end up in the brig!" Jonathon said with a board grin.
"Yes sir." Said a confused Brody.
"Hey!" Jeff stated. "That is not fair Commander and here I was thinking of letting you join Tim and myself with a glass or two of scotch."
"Jeff." Angel said, coming over after looking at the helm where Ensign Henderson sat. She smiled at the Commander. "Hello Commander Ford. Jeff isn't being to much of a handful is he?"
"No, no trouble at all!" Ford told her with a grin.
"Good to hear it!" She said and saw Jim Brody - she smiled at him.
Brody looked at her she was a beauty, with long black hair, blue eyes and curves in all the right places. "Lt James Brody, but you can call me Jim."
"Hi Jim. I'm Angel Wilson and I've heard all about you from Tim." Angel said as Tim looked at her talking to Brody. It irritated him that Brody was trying to hit on her.
"Our Tim? Tim O'Neill?" Brody said as if the idea was not conceivable.
"Yes!"
"Lt Brody," Jeff said. "Angel and Tim have a special 'friendship'" He highlighted the word friendship.
Brody couldn't believe his luck, a pretty woman on seaQuest and she was taken, and by Tim his friend. Jim realised that Tim had told him about her on a few occasions. Looking at her he knew what O'Neill told him was no lie. Angel left Jeff to see Ortiz.
Brody watched her go. "Tim's one lucky devil, but I thought there was something between him and Lonnie!"
"Who?" Jeff asked, he was ready to put his fist into Tim's face.
"The helmswoman down the front." Jim told him.
"Her!" Jeff said raising his eyebrows; it was the woman with the short hair that was with Tim in the Launch Bays. He had to tell Angel, but Jeff thought to wait until he found out the truth.
Lonnie watched Angel smile and talk to Ortiz, every male a board seaQuest seemed to love her, even Commander Ford bent over backwards for her. She didn't like this Angel Wilson and she didn't like that kiss. She had asked Tim what that was all about, but Tim was in his own little world thinking of Angel and that kiss. Henderson was going to talk to her after her shift ended and tell her what goes.

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seaQuest, VIP Quarter's, Angel's Room.

After Captain Bridger's tour of the seaQuest and his informal talk, they all had gone back to the wardroom to listen to listen to Carlo Pasqua about marine farming off the coast of Sardinia. Now Angel lay upon her bed it was an hour before dinner was served in the mess hall. She could eat with the other guests, but she wanted to see Tim, and even talk to Miguel if he was around. A smile danced upon her lips as she thought of the kiss that she and Tim had given each other in the Launch Bay, when there was a knock. She got up and opened the door to reveal Ensign Lonnie Henderson on the other side.
"Hi, I want to talk to you!" Lonnie told a surprised Angel.
"Sure, do you want to come in?"
"No!" Said an annoyed Henderson at the kindness she was getting from her. "I just want to tell you, stay way from Tim. He is my boyfriend!" And with that Lonnie stormed away from Angel's quarter's. A baffled Angel stared at the disappearing figure of Henderson. She slowly closed her door and thought to herself that she needed to talk to Tim.

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seaQuest, The Mess Hall.

Jeff Petrie sat at the metal table with three of the seaQuest crew, all who wearing the same navy blue uniforms. Tim O'Neill lifted up his glasses, as he looked at his he food.
"What is it?" He asked everyone present.
"Your guess is as good as mine!" Stated Lt James Brody.
"You boys must miss land and all the nice food available?" Asked Jeff, he even doubted if the pretty little Dr Wendy Smith could identify what they were about to eat. I should not have thought that, Jeff thought remembering that the good doctor was telepathic.
"You could be eating the conference food instead of this!" Commander Ford said as Angel walked over to them.
"Jeff are you complaining about the food?" Angel looked at the Commander with an apologetic look on her face. "He always does that. Even when I cook."
"And that's the worst time!" Jeff said and as soon as the remark left his mouth, Angel hit him.
"Don't worry Angel, the food is really bad!" Tim told her. Then he looked at Jeff. "And Angel's cooking is very good."
"You have to say that you're her man!" Jeff said. Commander Ford got up.
"I'm due back on the bridge, I'll see you all around." He smiled at Jeff. "Keep out of trouble" Jonathon told him and he walked off.
"What is it?" Jeff began. "I bring a bottle for celebration drinks and now I am the butt of all his jokes."
"Jeff you all the butt of everyone's jokes!" Said Angel her look warned him not to push her. She as not in the mood.
"So do I have to worry?" Brody asked the maritime archaeologist.
"No, I only have a present for the Commander!" Jeff exclaimed with a smile.
"And what would that be?" Brody said wondering if what the Commander had said was true.
"Oh! Just a bottle of scotch!" Jeff answered with a laugh. "Come we will leave the two lovebirds alone and we can have a drink."
"I'm still on duty, but I will come with you to remove the scotch from your person!" Once Brody had said this Jeff's face dropped.
"You're a hard man Lieutenant!" Jeff said as he stood up. "You are relieving me of a valuable possession."
"Well it will safe with me!" said Jim with a smile on his face as he walked out of the mess hall with Jeff trailing behind.
"Good we're alone." Tim said as her took Angel's hand in his.
"Tim, I need to ask you something!"
"What?" Tim said seeing the looked in her blue eyes that showed she was troubled.
"Ensign Henderson came and saw me awhile ago and said that you and she were together, as in boyfriend/girlfriend together. Is there truth behind that?" Angel said as she wondered if he did say yes that it was true what would she do about it. It wasn't like they were on land and she could get up and leave!
Tim O'Neill looked at Angel; he could not believe it. But then he to would be suspicious if another man said Angel was his girlfriend, and for that matter where did Henderson get the idea they were a couple from? "Angel it is only you, there is no one else. I think Lonnie may have feelings for me, but I don't share them with her. I told you about shore leave, and how we went out to see 'Key Largo', it was only because we're friends and we like the movie that I went." He stopped and looked deeply into her eyes, she was busy processing this information. "I know some people joked about Lonnie and me being together, but there are those who know about you, and knew I was not interested in her that way! They just found it amusing!" He told her trying to ease her mind. Angel got up and sat next to Tim. She smiled and gave him a kiss.
"I believe you Timmy, but it was just so baffling having a woman telling me to stay away from her man." Angel said and kissed him more passionately on the lips. "I'm glad I spoke to you first before thinking the worst of it all."
"I'm glad too, it'll save us for the future when we have a fight." Tim said smiling.
Angel looked at him. "What are you planning on us fighting?"
"No!" He said. "I should go and find Lonnie and talk to her. Either that or yell!"
"Timmy don't yell, be nice, I could understand her wanting you. Hell I want you even though you are mine." Angel said as she placed a wayward strain of hair behind her ear.
"OK!" Tim told her with a smile. That was his Angel, always concerned for others. O'Neill leant forward and kissed her on the lips. "I'll go and..." He stopped as soon as he saw Lonnie staring at them. He had to fix this and without a scene.
Tim went over to Lonnie and said. "We need to talk!"
"Yes I think we do!" she said annoyed at him. He looked at her; her voice tone made her very unattractive. They left the mess hall and walked along the corridor.
"Angel told me you told her to stay away from me!" Tim started.
"Yes!" answered Lonnie.
"Lonnie I like you, but as a friend. Angel and I have been together for two years, even though we are separated more times than we are together. We love each other." Tim said sighing, he wished it wasn't so hard to reject someone.
"You mean, we are only... Oh my God I feel like a fool!" Lonnie stated. "And I told her... God Tim, I am sorry. I didn't mean anything by it, I was just jealous and we did go out and I like you a lot." She said looking away from him. Closing her eyes she wondered if this was a dream. On reopening them she saw Tim, still looking unimpressed by what she did and what she thought. "Sorry, tell Angel that too!" Tim nodded. "I'm such a fool!"
O'Neill looked at her. "All I ever wanted was friendship. Lonnie we will always be friends."
"Yeah, but it doesn't mean I'll be friends with her." Lonnie said as she walked away from Tim. She needed too leave. She thought she might cry or something. Tim didn't want her he loved someone else. Tim watched her go, he thought to leave her alone for awhile, she seemed pretty upset. He went back to Angel and thought it strange that two women wanted him. He sat back down at the table Angel sat at, as she was talked to Piccolo.
Smiling across at her and he said. "All is fine!"

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seaQuest, The Wardroom.

Captain Bridger was at the first of the Underwater Environment Conference dinner in the wardroom, he wore his navy blue jump suit uniform that made him feel more relaxed in his current surroundings. Lucas stood with him as they listened to Dr Wallace Fairweather discuss marine plants to them. When Dr Fairweather left them alone, it was Dr St Claire who came over to them.
He looked at Lucas and said. "Young man I am surprised you are present!"
"Why is that?" The teen asked.
"Well Jeff and Angel are not here and I thought those two would have gotten you to go with them." Explained Baxter St Claire.
"Can I go, Captain?" Lucas asked eager to spend sometime on his new computer program he had developed a month ago.
"Yes you can go." He answered seeing no point in making the boy stay. "Where are your two assistants?" Bridger asked just realising that they were missing.
"Jeff has gone to talk with Commander Ford, and Angel, well the girl is most probably with that young Lieutenant of yours, Captain." The Doctor said.
Nathan smiled and remembered of all the things that Lt O'Neill had done to stay in contact with the young woman. "Yes, I guess they are happy by the chance of being together, even if it is a short time."
Baxter nodded. "They had enjoyed his shore leave for those three months." The old man smiled. "Lt O'Neill came with us on an site survey, which proved to be beneficial to us."
"How so?" seaQuest's Captain asked the maritime archaeologist.
"Ah, his skills with languages. We had him working with us, and if you ever find you don't need him anymore, Captain, we will take him." Dr St Claire said, as he was impressed by the linguistic skills of Tim O'Neill.
"I'm sorry Dr St Claire." Bridger said shaking his head. "But Tim is an important member of the seaQuest crew, and he is not available for anyone even you."
"Ah! But it was a try." Said a defeated sounding St Claire. "Just remember his talent will led him into a great career."
Nathan nodded. Even he knew that anyone with half a brain would want O'Neill, and he was glad the young man was a part of his crew. "So will there be wedding bells sounding soon?" He asked.
"Oh, I don't know." Answered Dr St Claire as he began to eat a piece of chicken. "But maybe in the future seaQuest may have a child of theirs aboard her." He said with a grin, that Bridger also wore upon his face.
"The vessel would become interesting if she held all the offspring of her currant crew." Bridger said smiling, but the death of Robert had come to his mind as it did when thinking of children, which made him feel a little unhappy.

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seaQuest, VIP Quarter's, Angel's room.

Tim sat on Angel's bed as she talked about the experiences she had in the Mediterranean while surveying a Spanish Gallon. Angel was going through her draw's to find the gift she had gotten him.
"I think I found it." She said over her shoulder. Coming back to the bed she carried something wrapped in a red silk cloth. Angel handed it to Tim.
He opened it to find a gold compass in the style of the 19th century period. He looked at Angel.
Smiling at him as she sat next to him, she took his hand and said. "To help guide you home to me!"
Tim smiled at her. "Yes it will won't it!" He stated as he kissed her.
"You promise to come home safe?" She asked as the kiss spread down her neck.
"Yes!" Tim told her as they laid upon the narrow bed.

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seaQuest, VIP Quarters.

In the mid of the night the medical staff were alerted to the rooms of Doctors Teresa Rojas and Wallace Fairweather, as well as the rooms of Kaisa Wasawhich and Joseph Ghana. All had different medical problems, but allow began to have these problems at the same time. It was too bazaar to be a coincidence. But what else could it be, this is what had the head of the medical staff Doctor Wendy Smith confused about. All were brought to the medical bay and were treated there and observed for the night. The question was what was wrong with them?

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seaQuest, VIP Quarters, Angel's room

In the morning Angel woke up with Tim's arms around her this was how it would be when they were married she thought, which she did not want to think that just in case something happened. But nothing would, she prayed silently as she watched Tim sleep. She slipped out of bed and got dressed. Once she was dressed she picked up the clothes from the floor.
"Are you going to go without saying good morning?" Questioned Tim who was awake in the bed.
"No, I wasn't going to go without giving you this." She said bending over and kissing him. "I better go and so should you! When does your shift start?"
"In an hour!" Tim replied getting up to dress himself. "But first breakfast, with a the most beautiful lady on seaQuest!"
"And who is that?" Questioned Angel as she brushed her hair.
"You! Jim told me yesterday that you are the most beautiful lady on seaQuest. And you know it is true."
Angel smiled she liked having Tim with her. He was a romantic, but no one knew this except her. "Well I best keep the most handsome man of this sub happy!"
"Really?" Tim asked as he went to open the door.
"Yeah! Lt Brody is so nice and handsome." The look Tim gave her showed he did not expect her to say that. Laughing Angel said. "I was talking about you, don't worry!"
"I'm not worried!" He said as he took her hand. Tim looked into her blue eyes to see all the love she held for him. His heart beat sped up a bit, Tim knew he was the only man that Angel wanted.
They went to the mess hall, were Lucas waited to tell Angel of the events that had just past. He had just finished telling Jeff, who was not sure what would happen next. They saw Angel and O'Neill walk in together.
"Well it's good to see the events of the night haven't affected the lovebirds!" Jeff pointed out. Lucas looked on at the couple as they crossed over to them.
"Isn't the conference on at 9 o'clock." Angel asked Jeff and Lucas as she looked at her watch to see it was fifteen minutes past nine.
"It was, but something has happened, Angel." Jeff told his friend.
"What is it?" Angel asked.
"Lucas you tell her." Jeff said to the blonde haired teen.
"I was going to, Jeff!" Lucas stated. "Four of the scientist have become sick, Dr Smith is trying to work out what it is."
"So no conference today!" Jeff put in. "We can be creatures of leisure."
Lucas scoffed at that. "What on a submarine?"
"Lucas, stick with me and you'll learn a lot." Jeff answered.
This comment reminded both Lucas and O'Neill of their friend and ex-crewmember Lt Krieg. "Thanks, but no thanks. I've work to do on the bridge." Lucas answered.
Angel was concerned for the people, continued the talk on the four scientists. "Who were they Lucas?"
"Doctors Teresa Rojas and Wallace Fairweather, and Joseph Ghana and Kaisa Wasawhich." Lucas answered.
"And nothing has been found out yet?" Angel continued.
"No nothing!" Lucas told her.
"Maybe it's food poisoning!" A serious Jeff said as he ate his scramble eggs. Lucas made a face that said highly unlikely, while O'Neill frowned.
"All of seaQuest's food supply is made in a lab in the science area, it's all a batch of genetics and DNA that gives us." O'Neill looked at his eggs. "This!" He pointed at them.
"Yeah food poisoning!" Jeff said to him, as Jeff knew the grim tales of food poisoning that he was not joking.
"It can't happen!" Lucas said.
"Who said it can't?" Questioned Angel. "It's just that it hasn't happened yet, that you don't know that it can."
"Well Lucas, she has a point!" O'Neill said to the young man.
"Yeah Tim, but it can't!" He replied.
"Maybe someone is trying to poison us!" Jeff said as he tried to work out if it was bacon on his plate or something else. His mind was else were.
"Nah that's always like that." Tim told him referring to the undistinguishable food.
"That is reassuring!" Jeff stated as he tried to eat whatever it was that was on his plate.

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seaQuest, Medical Bays.

Doctor Wendy Smith had taken blood cultures of each of the four sick people, but nothing came up. She could not diagnose what was wrong with her patients because she didn't have a clue herself. At the moment they were stable, and were getting plenty of fluids. But the question was what happen made then sick. They all experiencing different problems, Dr Fairweather was having heart problems - the forty year old had always had. Kaisa Wasawhich had breathing problems, due to her asthma, but was twice as worst than normal. Joseph Ghana was having bad margarines, which he told her it made his head feel like it was going to explode or implode, either way it was hell for him, while Dr Rojas had a bad case of the common flu.
Captain Nathan Bridger came to see how his guests were. As Dr Smith gave her report, he too was concerned from them.
"I can't find anything wrong with them, except the symptoms they are showing of other problems." She looked at Bridger. "It's bazaar, Nathan that they all get sick at the same time. I think it's a virus, but I can't find anything."
"Have you tested the food on this sub, I am amazed your crew hasn't jumped ship yet Captain!" Said Jeff Petrie as he walked in with Lucas Wolenczak and Angel Wilson.
Lucas gave Jeff a quick glace then spoke to the Doctor. "How are they?"
"Stable, and until I find out why they are all sick at the same time, that's all I can say." Wendy told Lucas as she looked at Jeff and Angel. She had seen the two yesterday when the tour came to the med bay, then Henderson had came to see her to talk about what had happened with O'Neill. Looking at Angel, Wendy found herself happy for O'Neill, but sorry for Henderson. The doctor sighed. "For now all I can say is the conference should go on, Captain!"
Bridger nodded. "We'll leave you to it doctor." He led Lucas and the maritime archaeologists out of the med bay. "So have you all got your talks ready?" Nathan asked smiling.
"I knew I forgot to do something!" Jeff said, which made Bridger laugh.

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seaQuest, The Wardroom.

Jeff stood in front of the remaining people at the conference. He spoke about the underwater environment and the affects it has on preserving iron object. "There are chemical and environmental problems that occur in the underwater environment for iron objects." He told everyone present as he showed pictures and samples of tests made. When he was done, everyone clapped as he sat down.
Dr St Claire whispered to him. "Well done my boy, well done. Not flowery at all!"
Jeff smiled at his mentor. "Thanks Doc." He told him, as everyone settled down to hear Dai-Tai Chan talk about aquaculture and the farming of fish in the Pacific Ocean. Once she was finished the meeting for the day had ended and Angel went to talk to Dai-Tai Chan.
"I was amazed by what you said in your talk. I never realised how many people farmed fish." Angel said to the Chinese woman.
"It is a big industry, once like the cattle one was in places like the United States and Australia." Dai-Tai answered as they continued to talk about aquaculture.
"You know a lot about aquaculture!" Dai-Tai said to Angel.
"Yes, well not too much. I have read a bit on it before I came here!" Angel admitted.
"I see!" Dai-Tai replied as she continued the conversation and asked serval questions on shipwrecks.
Angel said after a while. "Your name, Dai-Tai means to lead a boy, I did not realise that it was still being used in this century!"
"You know about Chinese culture?" the woman asked.
"A little from what I was told by someone." Angel said as she remembered Tim telling her about the Chinese culture.
"Well you see my family has three girls and when I was born, my parents wanted a boy. And so I was named Dai-Tai." She answered Angel.
"And was there a boy afterwards."
Dai-Tai Chan smiled "Yes, because it is said that is what will happen." Angel smiled back at her and they continued to talk. Even as the dinner was being served they talked. This evening Angel stayed at the conference dinner. Jeff and Lucas stayed also.
Jeff told Lucas. "The food is better here than the mess hall."
Angel looked at Lucas. "Just don't ask and you won't have to hear it."

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seaQuest, The Bridge.

"Mr Ortiz, how are the WSKERS?" Commander Jonathon Ford asked the Sensor Chief.
"WSKERS aren't picking up anything unusual, Commander!" Ortiz told the commanding officer.
"Very good." Ford said turning to look at O'Neill, who was to his right. "O'Neill anything?"
"No, Commander everything is just fine." O'Neill replied.
"Why is it when nothing shows up you two think everything is fine?" Ford said to his communications officer and sensor chief.
"Because Commander no one is screaming for our attention!" Ortiz told him with a smile as Captain Bridger came on to the bridge.
"How goes everything Commander?" Nathan asked.
"Reports from Ortiz and O'Neill say everything is fine!" Ford told the Captain.
"Good!" Bridger said as he sat in the captain's chair.
"How is the conference, sir?" Commander Ford said knowing the Captain was having very little fun there.
"Interesting! Just learnt about aquaculture in the Pacific Ocean!" Nathan told him.
"Sounds..." Ford trailed off. "Exciting!"
"Oh! It was!" Said Lucas from behind as he entered the bridge. He smiled at Bridger. "I saw you sneak off Captain and I followed you to the bridge."
"You call that sneaking! Um! I called that walking out off a room and forgetting to slam the door!" Said Jeff who followed Lucas.
Nathan looked at them. "So were you two that bored?"
"Hell yes!" Jeff said. "Angel is the only one who found it interesting. She said she read something, articles on aquaculture. Personally the things she does concerns me!" He looked at Tim who was watching him talk. "Yep she does some weird things!" Tim frowned and turned back to the screen in front of him. Sometimes Jeff could make unfriendly comments, which Tim wondered about. But now like always he pushed them away, and ignored Jeff and his remarks. Bridger and Lucas stayed on the bridge until the next shift was to start. Jeff stayed for a short time, then left.
Jeff walked the corridor of seaQuest when the GELF janitor Dagwood spoke to him.
"Um, Dagwood just cleaned that!" He had been mopping the corridor.
"Sorry, ah, Dagwood was it?" Jeff asked.
"Um, yes!" Dagwood said.
"Well keep up the good work!" Jeff said smiling as walked off. He didn't really have anything else to do, but he was bored on the sub, he wanted land and pretty girls and bikinis.
He thought of this when a voice said. "Really you should grow up!"
Jeff turned to see Doctor Wendy Smith. "You read my mind?"
"No those thought were screaming for everyone to hear!" She said smiling. "So your bore?"
"Yeah!" Jeff said. "You know how to fix it?"
"Not in the way you're thinking!" Wendy told him.
"How are the other scientists?" Jeff asked, ignoring what she had said, because he didn't find her at all attractive, now Lt Commander Hitchcock was another story, but this doctor, no not her, she did not attract Jeff to her. She wasn't Jeff's type!
"They're fine!" She answered.
"So you still don't know anything about what they've got?" He questioned.
"No!" Was all she could say.


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seaQuest, VIP Quarters.

Again like the night before the medical team were called to the VIP Quarters. This time it was to the room of Dai-Tai Chan, Carlo Pasqua and Admiral Watters. Each had a different problem like the others the night before, and Doctor Smith could not explain why it was happen and why was it just the people who were attending the environmental conference? The answers lay somewhere, but how to find the answers to the cause of something they did not know.


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seaQuest, VIP Quarters, Angel's room.

Angel was sleeping peacefully; Tim had not come to see her like the night before. Which she was not concerned about, she knew he had work to do aboard the seaQuest. It was early morning and most of the seaQuest crew was up busy working on the sub. Angel was having one of her happy dreams where she and Tim get married, when a loud knocking sound began at her door. Slowly she awoke and got up.
"All right, I'm coming." She opened the door to reveal Commander Ford.
His African-American features seemed grim, something had happened a gut feeling told her.
"Sorry about waking you up, Angel! The Captain sent me to tell everyone the conference is cancelled, due to the sudden sick of three other people."
"Who were they? They aren't crew are they?" Angel asked concerned about what had passed.
"No! I don't know who they are, I am just here to tell you the message." Ford said sighing. "But I do know they were from the conference."
"Is it poison?" Angel asked wondering why it was strange that nearly everyone at the conference was sick.
"No, Dr Smith is working on it." Replied seaQuest's Commander. "Until she knows everyone is in the dark!" He pointed out. Commander Ford left Angel moments after he answered more of her questions. Angel closed the door of the room and got dressed. She quickly went to find out who was sick. On the way to the medical bay she meet up with Lucas.
"Lucas, do you know who is sick this time?" Angel asked eager to see if Jeff and Doctor St Claire were fine.
"Dr St Claire and Jeff are fine." He said seeing her concern for them.
She sighed. "Thank God."
"And no I don't know who they are. I'm going to med bay to see what is being done." Lucas told her.
"I'll come with you. Is it something to do with the food." Lucas looked at her, Jeff had made the same comment early. What was the obsession they had with food poisoning? "Look I know the food can't be contaminated, but think about it everyone is fine until they eat!"
Lucas looked at her again she had a point. "To put your mind at rest I'll test the food that was at dinner last night for the conference." He smiled when he realised that maybe her idea was not so bad.
"You must think that Jeff and I are crazy with us convince with food poisoning?" Angel asked.
"Yeah I do!" Replied a truthful Lucas.
Angel looked at Lucas. "I guess you're to young to know of the tales, huh?"
"What tales?" Asked a curious Lucas.
"During World War III it is believe that poisoned food was given to the Australian troops by the enemy." Angel said her father was in that war and he was dead now, but his death was never explained, Angel wasn't going to put that in. Actually not may people know about her father, well except Dr St Claire, Jeff and Tim.
"But is it true?" The teen asked.
"We don't know," Angel answered her memories of her father came to her, she thought she would be sick. Quickly she cheered herself out of her depression. "Jeff and I love conspiracy theories, so we're going with the food poisoning, to explain what is happening aboard seaQuest."
"I'll test the food and see what comes up." Lucas told her as they entered the med bays. They found out it was Dai-Tai Chan, Carlo Pasqua and Admiral Watters, who were sick.
Angel said to Lucas. "Dai-Tai and I ate the same food, except for potato salad. She said she likes it, but I can't stand the stuff."
"I'll check it first!" Lucas reassured her.


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seaQuest, Science Labs.

Lucas sat alone in the science labs; he looked at the data on the tests he had made on the food. Everything was fine, except for the potato salad. The potato salad had evidence of an organism and a plant disease. The plant disease would not do any harm to humans, Lucas found out, but the micro-organism could. He showed Dr Smith the results and quickly they began to tests on what the organism could do. In the end they found out that it masks and copies a persons problem and doubles it. They went to Captain Bridger with the findings and now they had to catch the culprit who did this. The first thing was to get everyone of the people who were present for the environmental conference to listen to the last speakers in the conference. The last speakers being - Doctors Victoria Fairweather, Mick Jones and Baxter St Claire, as well as Angel Wilson, Dr St Claire research assistant and PhD student in maritime archaeology and seaQuest's own Lucas Wolenczak.
Bridger looked at the names. "I doubt its Dr St Claire, Angel or Lucas!" He told Commander Ford, Lt Brody, and Dr Smith. "They aren't the type and they wouldn't know about such an organism."
"Plus Lucas was the one to find it masking itself as a plant disease in the potato salad!" Wendy said.
"Do you think it is the biologists?" Commander Ford questioned.
"Why would you put it in your own food?" Brody asked in reference to Dr Wallace Fairweather.
"The wife could have done it! To get rid of the husband!" Said Ford to Brody.
"Commander, you and Lt Brody sound like old women watching an old 'who done it'!" Wendy pointed out.
"Another point is that Angel and Jeff are into conspiracies they've been pushing the idea of food poisoning." Brody said.
Wendy looked at him. "The Captain is right they didn't do it! They were young when stories of food poisoning of troops from Australia went around. They are living from the fear and thoughts of the older generation."
"But St Claire is unaffected by this?" Commander Ford interjected.
"The man is in his own world." Wendy said.
"Is that a medical opinion doctor?" Asked James Brody with a smug smile. Wendy stared at him; sometimes she just wanted to hit him for being an idiot.
"It's the Biologists there is no doubt about it, but which one of the two?" Bridger asked after listening to his people talk. "Or is it both?"

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seaQuest, The Wardroom.

Brody and three other security officers stood outside the wardroom once everyone was inside for the conference. Dr St Claire was the First to speak, then Dr Victoria Fairweather, who could not continued out of shear concern for her husband. This act of worry quickly had her off of the suspect list, it now left Dr Mick Jones as the culprit, but was it him?
Angel stood and gave her talk on the coast environments of the shipwreck sites in the Mediterranean, when Lt Tim O'Neill talked on the loud speaker to his Captain.
"Sorry for the interruption, Captain, but there's a launch that's just arrived for the Admiral to take him to the UEO hospital in Florida. They want to talk to you and the Sectary General McGrath and Admiral Phillips."
"Thank you O'Neill, we'll be down to speak to them in minute!" Nathan answered back. He wanted to get the culprit, but it wouldn't just yet. The conference was put on hold, again, as Bridger, McGrath and Phillips went to go and talk to the UEO personnel who had just arrived. Jeff, Angel, Lucas, Dr St Claire, Mick Jones and Victoria Fairweather were the only ones left in the wardroom.
Dr St Claire got up and said to Jeff and Angel he was going for a walk as his legs were stiff from sitting down. Dr Fairweather went with him so she did not have to think of her poor sick husband. Lucas looked at Mick Jones the man was restless and when Angel said she wanted to finish her talk the Doctor snorted at her. "My brilliance has waited long enough, what I have to show is more interesting."
Angel looked at him offended. Lucas quickly asked the Doctor. "What is you talk about?"
"An organism that masks illnesses!" Mick said his mind was excited to realise what he had said. He had just told Lucas that it was him who had introduce the foreign organism to those people.
Lucas got up. "I forgot a diagram on the program outlay, I'll be back soon." He left the wardroom to get Brody. As the door closed Angel looked at the notes Lucas had in front of him, there laid a program outlay. What was going on? She thought to herself. Then she realised that Dr Jones was the one who made the other sick, she prayed that whatever Lucas was doing he was getting help.
Brody was waiting outside of the room when Lucas closed the door. Lucas told him to come and arrest Doctor Mick Jones and explained what had passed. Once he was done Brody went into the wardroom with Lucas.
Brody grabbed Dr Jones by the shoulder and said. "By the UEO sanction, I am putting you under arrest for attempting to killing six people."
"I wasn't attempting I was just showing the potential of the masking organism, the UEO never realised how much value this is to them." Jones said as Brody and other security offices brought him to the brig.
"So it was poison?" Jeff said as he smiled knowingly.
"Well, actually no it wasn't!" Lucas told him and went on to explain what he had found and how Captain Bridger wanted the person responsible arrested, that was why Brody was near by.
"So he was poisoning, well it wasn't poison now was it?" Angel said as she continued talking. "He just wanted UEO recognition for his work!"
"Some people do desperate things to be noticed." Said Nathan as he and the Sectary General of the UEO walked in. He looked at Lucas. "Well done in catching the one behind this, Lucas"
"It was nothing, Sir. Actually, if I didn't hear their," He pointed to Angel and Jeff. "Conspiracy theories, I don't think I would have known what to look for."
Jeff and Angel smiled at the Captain, when Jeff spoke. "So should I become a detective then?"
Bridger smiled. "Now don't give up your day job, just because one case was right!" Was the advice Nathan gave the young man.


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seaQuest.

Angel and Tim walked the corridor down to the launch bays. It was time to say good bye.
"It was good to be back aboard seaQuest again." Angel told him.
"It was good seeing you!" Tim pointed out.
"We'll see each other soon." Angel said with a smile. Then she took a piece of paper from her pocket. "I found this in an old book on women in Australia. I liked it and found that it suits us." She handed it to him.
Opening it up Tim found written on the paper was a poem. He read it out to her in a soft voice.
"Where love is planted there it grows
It buds and blossoms like a rose
There is no flower half so sweet
As absent lovers when they meet
Maria Turner, 1841."
Tim looked at Angel. "Our time was short and sweet, but next time..." Angel put her finger on his lips.
"No next time, Tim. We'll think off it as tomorrow we'll will see each other."
Tim smiled. "All right, I'll see you tomorrow!" He told her as they got to the launch bays.
"It gets harder and harder each time to say good bye doesn't?" Angel pointed out.
Tim looked at her. "Yes it does." Giving her a kiss he doubted he wanted her to leave him.
"The next time we meet I don't think I'll leave." Then she turned and went through the entrance of launch bay 3. She smiled as she walked to where Dr St Claire and Jeff where standing. "Until then!" Angel said blowing Tim a kiss as the door to launch bay 3 closed.
Tim looked at the door she was gone from seaQuest once more. He walked slowly back to the bridge.
Once on the bridge he heard Commander Ford say to the Captain. "Everyone one of the guests are gone, sir." Then he paused and said, "So the conference has ended!"
"Yes it has, Commander, and Dr Jones will be going to jail for what he did." Nathan said. "Popularity and money are the root of all evil." O'Neill smiled Jeff and Angel felt it was chocolate another one of their conspiracy theories. "So if we've had enough fun for now I suggest we go slow a head."
Commander Ford smiled. "Slow a head, it is then." Then to the people at the helm. "Slow a head."
"Aye, sir. Slow a head." Said seaman Piccolo who was at the helm with Henderson.


The End.

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Final note - Angel of the Sea just pushes the relationship of Tim and Angel further along. And also introduces more on the characters of Tim and Angel's romance that is to come in the next story in the last story of the Angel Trilogy. The poem Angel gives Tim on absent lovers was written by Maria Turner in 1841, an inmate of the Launceston (in Tasmania, Australia) Female Factory. The poem is to represent that their love will continue no matter the distant of the seas that separate them and even the fact that next time they meet is ten years later. Although Angel and Tim don't know this yet!

Although Dr St Claire and his assistance are maritime archaeologists, I wrote this story to show that archaeologists in all fields of archaeology don't only dig up artefacts, but go to conferences as well. There are different things archaeologists do and I was just pointing this out in the story.

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