Restricted
Chapter One
Hi, all! I am starting this sequel, hoping I can keep up with it and all my other obligations. I thank you in advance for your generous support, reviews, and patience! I love writing for this fandom, and I always enjoy your feedback; I hope you enjoy this new story!
-Hari
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"So you're restricted to just working with Darwin?" Miguel leaned over the edge of his bunk to address his shore leave roommate, Lucas Wolenczak. "They can do that?"
"It's 'strongly suggested' and the computer systems jobs are totally off-limits," Lucas confirmed. "Noyce was really spooked by the whole thing, and I guess Captain Bridger decided that it was unfair or illegal or something to have me working outside of my official capacity on seaQuest."
"So, instead of making that your official capacity, they tell you hands off?" Miguel demanded. "Why would they do that?"
"Look, I'm not complaining," Lucas responded quickly. "I was putting a lot of time into work for the captain and the seaQuest when I should have been working on research. I love computers, but all the weapons systems and responsibility around that – I don't like it, and I'm definitely not getting paid enough for it!"
"Heh," Miguel laughed in agreement. "That's true; hold out for more pay. But it still stinks that they won't let you on the bridge."
"Yeah," Lucas said quietly. "It's kind of weird. Even Darwin goes on the bridge."
"Sort of," Miguel shrugged, leaning back onto his bunk. He and Lucas had retired about an hour earlier, in anticipation of embarking on the seaQuest early the next morning. However, despite their best intentions, they had been unable to sleep and had begun hashing over the policy changes implemented since the seaQuest's hijacking several months earlier. The submarine had since been refitted and the crew given adequate time to rest and begin to recover from the ordeal, and with only the addition of a live-in psychologist and a team of journalists, the crew would be resuming their tour with minimal personnel changes. However, it seemed that the policy changes would more than make up for the stability provided by the continuity of the crew itself.
"Well, that's more than I will be," Lucas grimaced.
There was a knock on the door of the hotel room.
"What is it?" Miguel called.
"Go to sleep, you two," Commander Ford responded through the door. "We ship out in five hours and I want you to make a good impression on our new computer systems specialist. That goes doubly for you, Lucas."
"I'm asleep," Lucas called out to the commander.
There was silence for a moment, while Ford decided how to respond to the petulant teenager. Ultimately, he chose the option Lucas had hoped to avoid. "Look, I know this is difficult for you, but we don't have a choice. Just be patient while Captain Bridger sorts this out, all right, Lucas?"
"I don't mind," Lucas protested. "It's about time I got a break, anyway."
"Be patient," Ford didn't buy Lucas' insistence for a moment. "And try not to make Carter's job a hassle."
"Will you stop shouting out here?" Ben Krieg's voice joined Jonathan's in the hallway. "Some of us are trying to sleep. And Lucas probably doesn't need you giving him any ideas."
"Goodni-ight," Lucas drawled, hoping to get rid of the senior officers – and their scrutiny.
"I'm serious, Lucas," Ford tapped the door for emphasis, and then both he and Ben left.
"That was productive," Ortiz rolled noisily onto his side and peered down at Lucas again. "So, what are you planning to do to Carter? You can tell me." Miguel grinned wolfishly.
"Shut up and go to sleep." Lucas reached over to flip off the lights. "Carter can do his job in peace. I have no issue with him."
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"So I have every intention of enforcing policy," Tobias Carter informed Captain Bridger as they ordered coffee in anticipation of a long, involved embarking process.
"Excellent," Nathan responded neutrally, not acknowledging the challenge in Carter's tone.
"That means I will be watching, and reporting on a daily basis to-,"
"I know," Bridger interrupted sharply. "And as I just said, that is 'excellent.'"
"I know you," Tobias eyed Bridger as he accepted his hot coffee from the cashier and reached for cream. "And you're going to fight me every step of the way. Don't let's pretend otherwise."
Bridger blinked. The man was openly goading him, in public. Nathan was tempted for a brief moment to ask, 'do you know who I am?' but decided against it. He had promised many things in exchange for retaining Lucas as a researcher on the submarine after all the fallout from the hostage situation, and civility seemed a small sacrifice when Bridger imagined Lucas' reaction to being asked to leave the crew. However, if Tobias was willing to cross the line into incivility, then Bridger felt more than ready to respond.
"This boat was held hostage once before, Mr. Carter," Nathan accepted his own coffee with a polite smile. "Don't think that its crew is likely to allow that to happen twice."
Tobias Carter met Bridger's level gaze with a glare. It was true; he did know Bridger. He knew that Nathan's words were no idle threat, and he knew that he would be in for a fight if he did find anything on the boat worth reporting. Nevertheless, Tobias believed with all his heart that absolute power corrupted absolutely – and he had long been uncomfortable with Bridger's autonomous control of the UEO's most deadly and most promising resources. Not to mention Bridger's aversion to any form of accountability.
'This will be one interesting boat ride,' Tobias thought to himself. He was suddenly eager to meet the UEO's other loose cannon, young Wolenczak. 'Might as well get it all out in the open right away.'
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"Tim!" Lucas bounded up to his older crewmate in the corridor, balancing his military-issue duffel on his shoulder. "How was Paris?"
"Great, Lucas!" Tim greeted Lucas warmly, setting down his own duffel to give Lucas an affectionate hug. "My French accent is improving, and I met some marine biologists who helped me certify on some of the new deep-sea equipment we have onboard now. How was your leave?"
"Boring mostly, but I got to meet Recombinant Corpse after their concert," Lucas reported. "It was awesome!"
"Did Miguel go with you?" Tim laughed at the name of the band. "It sounds right up his alley."
"Yeah," Lucas nodded. "He was pretty into it."
"Nice," Tim picked up his duffel again and began walking with Lucas toward the crew's quarters. "You going to hook up a stereo system for him this tour?"
"Uh," Lucas glanced at Tim guiltily, "any particular reason you're asking?" It had become common knowledge that Lucas had used the ship's computer systems to create and power his own stereo before the boat had been refitted – but there had never been any question but that it was unsanctioned. And, until he knew what he was dealing with, Lucas wanted to keep his head down around the new computer systems specialist.
"I wondered if you'd help me out as well, actually," Tim laughed nervously. "I picked up some music in France, and I wondered-,"
"Sure, no problem!" Lucas grinned. "I'll get settled and see what I can do for you."
The two entered the new common area that Bridger had designed for the refit boat. The quarters for the majority of the crew were accessible through three hallways that branched off from the large sitting room. In the room, which had been designed as an alternative to the mess hall for socializing, were several couches and chairs, low tables, and two vid-screens.
"Not too shabby," Lucas observed. "I'm down the left hall, I think."
"I'm down the lockdown hallway," Tim pointed straight ahead, across the room. It had been designed as part of a panic-room-style, detachable section of the submarine – a fact which was an unpleasant reminder to crewmembers of their previous vulnerability to terrorist attack. "Lucky me."
"I'll come check it out after I move in," Lucas offered. He didn't envy Tim's position; apparently there would even be drills, which would involve crewmembers flooding into the lockdown hall – and Tim's personal space. "I bet those rooms are better than the others; only senior officers are in there."
"I can only hope," Tim shrugged and headed down his hall.
Lucas turned down his own hall, which was populated by several crewmembers moving into their own quarters. Lucas quickly located his own room, about halfway down the corridor, and opened the door.
The room was slightly larger than his old room, but Lucas immediately noted the absence of any aquatube access, computer interface, or exposed hardware that he could use to install his stereo or other electronic equipment. Lucas dropped his bag on the floor and left the room untouched.
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"Captain?"
Bridger was surprised and pleased to see Lucas approach him in the mess hall. "Lucas! Good to see you; have you seen your room yet?"
"Yeah, that's what I'm here to talk about," Lucas answered. "It doesn't have any of the stuff we talked about."
"What?" Captain Bridger was silent for a moment, puzzled. "We are talking about the stereo hookup, interweb, and access to Darwin, correct? And closet space if I could swing it?"
"I didn't look for a closet," Lucas stated, "but the rest of it definitely isn't there."
"That's impossible," Bridger protested. "You must have been assigned to the wrong room."
"No, he wasn't."
For the first time Lucas noticed the man sitting with Bridger.
"What do you mean? Who are you?" Lucas demanded.
"I'm Toby Carter." The man looked Lucas over. "And you are not supposed to have access to technology unsupervised."
"Now just a minute," Bridger jumped in before Lucas could give voice to the anger that was rapidly crossing his face. "What do you mean, Carter? That certainly wasn't part of the deal. I'm reassigning you to room 217, Lucas, effective immediately."
"That's impossible," Tobias argued. "How am I supposed to report that you are not having him work with computer systems if you're putting them in his quarters? The bridge ban is meaningless under those circumstances. And he's a minor, so having him constantly on-call for the aquatube and vocorder systems almost automatically violates child labor laws."
"Operative word being 'almost,'" Bridger responded drily. "And why would it be 'impossible' to put him in room 217?"
"Aside from my concerns?" Tobias looked up at the teenager, who was visibly restraining himself, but appeared more than ready to begin shouting. "I've already moved in there. It suits my needs nicely."
"You know what?" Lucas' eyes had widened in affronted shock and he suddenly spun on his heel and began striding away. "Just keep it."
"Lucas!" Bridger called after the teen, but Lucas didn't stop. The captain turned on Carter angrily. "You have no right to make that call, and certainly no right to appropriate his personal quarters! I want you out of there by 0900 hours, and that's an order."
"And the fact that the quarters I was originally assigned have no computer access whatsoever?" Tobias retorted, "Am I supposed to overlook that? You gave that kid more consideration than you did your official computer systems specialist. I can only assume it was a mistake, or misguided attempt at parenting at best – open sabotage of my work at worst."
Bridger opened his mouth to protest, but Tobias continued.
"If you can find me a room that has equal access to the computers, I'll move. In the meantime, Lucas seems to be willing to remain in his current quarters. I suggest you adopt his attitude for the time being."
"I'll look into access for you," Bridger fairly growled, "but I want you ready to move out of that room by 0900 hours, regardless."
Tobias sighed deeply. "Yes, sir."
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