No Place in Our World

"How are things coming together for our next mission, Lee?" Admiral Harriman Nelson asked Lee Crane, captain of the SSRN Seaview during the Monday morning staff meeting.

"With exception of fresh produce, all our materials and supplies have been loaded. All systems have been checked and read green across the board, so all we're waiting for is any special equipment our guests may bring with them at the last minute. The crew has all returned from leave and we're ready to sail at a moment's notice, sir," Lee replied.

"Excellent, excellent; well done Captain," Nelson answered with a smile.

"You can thank Chip for all that sir, he's been a busy little bee."

"Then thank you Mr. Morton," Nelson replied with a nod towards his XO. Chip acknowledged the compliment with a responding nod.

"Everyone really turned to with this mission prep. I think they wanted to make sure that everything was tuned to perfection and ready for any contingency. I know I don't want any surprises when we're dealing with a dead German U-boat sir," Chip said as he cast a wary eye towards his captain and best friend.

Lee gave him a quick nod and smile for the extra measure of preparedness. Their last run-in with a U-boat left him with a gunshot wound in the side, possessed by the boat's long dead captain and Harriman Nelson fighting to convince his crew that he had no other choice but to shoot Lee, the man he had come to consider his son, to save them all. Lee almost reflexively brushed his hand over the scar as the memories were stirred anew.

"I appreciate that very much, Chip," Lee answered with an uneasy chuckle. "I'm hoping all aboard have long since passed on to their just rewards."

The other men in the room chuckled nervously as well. Doctor Kendal Ferguson looked on curiously quite obviously not privy to the inside joke.

Noting the look of confusion on the face of the head of the astrophysics department and the newest member of the NIMR family Nelson made eye contact and answered her unasked question. "We encountered a specter in the form of one Kapitan Gerhard Krueger, skipper of the WWI U-boat 444. It was not a good encounter and left Lee fighting for his life*."

"Oh," Kendal mouthed silently. Anyone else in her position would have most likely voiced incredulity at the admiral's or even the crew's belief that they had encountered a ghost. Following her first mission on Seaview eight months earlier, and their encounters with extra-terrestrials she was the last one to doubt their veracity. She had learned the hard way there definitely were things out there that went bump in the night**.

"So what are we going after again, Admiral?" Dr. Will Jamieson asked.

"We have been contracted by the University of Virginia to access a German WWII U-boat sunk by a US sub towards the end of the war. The boat is resting on the bottom of the Atlantic in approximately 900 feet of water. Based on old manifests they discovered in Nazi archives, the boat supposedly was hauling Hitler's looted artifacts from around the world to some safe cache at a remote location in Newfoundland. According to the documents they had numerous religious and mystical relics from a number of cultures spanning centuries of human history that would grant the possessor supernatural powers. Hitler was absolutely obsessed with the idea," Nelson began.

"Based on documents citing the sub's reported course and just plain luck, the UV researchers have pinpointed where the sub went down off the coast of Newfoundland in international waters and want us to help verify their target is U-626 and if so recover what artifacts we can."

"Why is it you want me on this mission?" Kendal inquired. "I'm no archeologist Admiral."

"I want you there in the event some of these things do provide access to supernatural powers or access to another time, dimension or alien civilization. Your assistance was invaluable up in the Aleutians and even if things do prove to be rather mundane, it gives you additional experience on the boat," Harri replied.

"Fair enough. I'm ready to roll and to help out wherever I can," Kendal responded with a smile.

"You're a glutton for punishment, you know that," Chip whispered as he nudged her in the arm.

"Well if I can survive the devil anything else should be cake, right?" Kendal replied with a laugh. The rest of the group chuckled and nodded in agreement.

"So what have you got on our passengers, sir?" Lee asked.

"There will be four total. Dr. Hans Delbruck is the project lead. He comes with impeccable credentials and over 40 years of marine archeological experience. He has three aides with him, Dr. Elmer Jung, Gavin Rushmore and Phillip Crandall. They should be arriving sometime tomorrow morning along with the rest of their equipment. Have you got everything set up for their arrival Chip?"

"Yes sir. I've got space already allotted for their equipment and have boat briefings set up for them as soon as they're brought aboard."

"Very good, it sounds like we're all set. That's all people," Harri replied. The staff immediately rose and started to make their way towards the door to finish up their preparations for the mission. "Lee, would you stay just a minute?"

"Sure Admiral."

Harri waited until the room had cleared and they were alone. "Are you okay with this mission, son? You seem a little apprehensive."

"I'm fine sir, it's just old memories. I think I'll always be a bit twitchy whenever we go after a dead boat, please don't worry about me. Chip's made sure everything is shipshape and in perfect condition," Lee answered.

"Oh I'm sure he's not the only one who's made sure of that. There are too many of us that remember our encounter with U-444."

"Guilty as charged," Lee laughed. "My only concern will be diving at the depths required to access the boat, if that's where she lies, and we're all very experienced working in that arena. Other than that I'm ready to go as is the rest of the crew."

"Good, lad. I know you weren't overly thrilled when I accepted the mission, I just wanted to make sure you're satisfied that we're adequately prepared."

Lee laughed again and placed his hand on Harri's shoulder. "Believe me if I didn't think we were ready to go, I'd never let us out of the sub pen."

"Too true," Harri replied laughing as well. "All right get back to your duties son. Why don't you see if Chip, Jamie and Kendal are up for dinner out tonight, my treat?"

"Oh that sounds like an expensive proposition, especially if you're inviting Chip along. I'm in, I'll check with the others and get back with you."

"Fine. Tell them 1900 and we'll hit Armando's for some gourmet Mexican fare."

"Will do," Lee replied as he turned and exited the office.

(o)

It had been a nice evening with good food and excellent company. It was becoming more of a tradition for the senior officers to get together one evening before they set off on a mission to just kick back and relax before the rigors of the mission consumed their days and nights.

They had chatted about pretty much everything, with only limited reference to the upcoming mission or details. There had been a number of subtle references to their previous experiences with the German U-boat, which only now were they able to 'joke' about.

It had been an early evening with the party breaking up around 2230. There was still a lot that needed to be done before they sailed in two days' time and everyone was keen on being well rested and ready for the coming mission.

Back home after dinner, Lee climbed into bed and lay on his back staring up at the ceiling as he let his body relax. A moment later Kendal emerged from the bathroom and crawled in bed as well and snuggled up tight against him laying her head on his shoulder. She could tell he was bothered by something and given the references to their previous encounters with an old German sub she assumed that that was weighing heavily on his mind.

"You're kind of quiet tonight," she said after a few moments.

"Really, hadn't noticed," he replied. "I guess I just have a lot on my mind regarding the new mission."

"It has something to do with your earlier experience with U-444 doesn't it? What happened Lee? Please tell me, I've not seen you this preoccupied before."

Lee sighed deeply as he considered what he should say, if anything. After a moment of internal debate he quickly related the events of that cruise for Kendal. As he reached the part where the admiral descended the spiral staircase and pulled the trigger on his service weapon sending a bullet ripping into his right side, Kendal felt him tense almost as if he were experiencing the whole horror again.

The description of his possession by Krueger and the things he made him do sent chills down her spine and she quickly realized how deeply affected he was by the entire event. She marveled at the fact that Chip had had enough faith in Harri, in the face of witnessed events, to listen to his pleas and give him the opportunity to carry out the search and rescue of his captain and surrogate son.

"My god Lee that's horrible. How did you ever get through it? How were you able to forgive Harri?" Kendal asked quietly as his tale came to an end.

"I shared Krueger's consciousness and knew what he knew; I was a prisoner and voyeur in my own body. I knew how he'd forced Harri's hand to choose between me and the other 124 men on the boat. In the same situation I would have made the same choice. He couldn't let them die to save me, he knows I would have condemned that decision and we all would have perished anyway. I admit it took a while before I could truly relax around him but that was Krueger's doing not his. To this day he stills blames himself for everything that went down but he had no other choice. I keep telling him that and I know intellectually he recognizes that fact but he still can't quite let go of the guilt."

"Well hopefully nothing like that will come calling on this mission," Kendal replied as she sat up and kissed him softly on the lips. "So Captain, since you've insisted that there will be no hanky-panky on the cruise you better get busy satisfying all those carnal urges I have before you cut me off," she said deftly changing the subject as she let her hands begin to wander over the Crane terrain.

Lee laughed out loud and hugged her tight. "You are a terrible influence you know that? I'll make damn sure you're well sated and ready for rest by the time we go aboard," he said as he pulled her on top of him and let his own hands begin to roam.

* Season 2 episode: The Return of the Phantom

** Devil at the Door – Caribou Kid