Deep Blue Blackmail
Chapter 1
By Kiddo
In Loving Memory of Jonathan Brandis
"Don't fix a broken heart. Who really wants to forget?" (Joseph Fiennes)
"I always will remember you by real good moments." ("Real Good Moments" by Christian Wunderlich)
Disclaimer: I don't have any rights to the TV show "seaQuest DSV," and I am not making any money with this fanfiction. Mike Erikson is my own creation.
This story takes place during the first season, between 4 and 6 weeks after the first episode. The episode "Photon Bullet" has not taken place yet. I had the idea for this story while I was lying sick in bed.
The German version of this story is called "Erpresser Unter Sich."
A big "Thank You" goes to my beta reader Jackie.
Reviews and feedback are always welcome.
For the past 15 minutes, Dr. Westphalen had been observing their youngest crew member out of the corner of her eye. Both were working in the science section of the seaQuest, labeling seaweed and algae samples that had been collected by a member of the science team that morning.
The red-haired doctor shook her head in slight disapproval when she saw the teenager reach for his handkerchief for the second time. It seemed that while she was away at a conference the previous week, nobody had really looked after the boy, and she could now see the results in front of her. Even the 16-year old's blue eyes had a feverish glaze. And nobody could tell her that the boy's illness had just developed overnight. Oh, Nathan would get an earful!
By pure chance, she moved over beside the blonde. "Anything interesting happen while I was away?"
Lucas shook his head. "Not really. Ford had another one of his famous mock battles to keep everyone on their toes. Ben had to play a P.O.W." Thinking back on it, the teenager had to smile. "After that, he was totally finished. It seemed like the commander was really bugging him a lot."
Kristin nodded understanding. "I can picture that pretty easily. Did you also take part in this?"
The teenager nodded. "I programmed the computer to run a few simple scenarios for the commader, but that's all."
To Dr. Westphalen's ears, Lucas's voice sounded deeper than usual, as if he had a sore throat. "I heard that someone was here to make a few updates to the boat's computer system."
The blond boy nodded briefly, and he didn't look terribly pleased. "The guy was here for two days, and he left on the shuttle that brought you back. If you ask me, his presence was totally unnecessary. And I can't figure out what he did to our system since I was only able to look over his shoulder for a short time before I was chased away. I just hope he hasn't done any damage..."
The scientist smiled. "I'm sure that he knew what he was doing. The UEO would never have sent him if he wasn't good at his job."
The teenager raised his eyebrows. "I wouldn't count on that."
"Lucas, just because you didn't understand what he was doing, it doesn't mean that he's done any damage to our system."
The computer genius looked at her stubbornly. "I still don't see why I couldn't make the updates. After all, up until now I've taken care of every computer problem we've had."
Kristen had to suppress a smile. So that's what this was all about - Lucas felt like someone was stepping on his toes. "You couldn't do it this time because you are a civilian. You are here because of Darwin and various scientific experiments, not because of the computers."
The teenager exhaled unhappily. "I'm here because my father wanted to get rid of me."
Dr. Westphalen shook her head. "You know what I meant." But she also knew that unfortunately, there was a lot of truth in what Lucas had just said.
"But Bridger always lets me work on the computer when there's something wrong, or when he needs certain information."
"I know, but this is actually not your responsibility, and, strangely, there is no one else on board who is as good with computers as you." Her last statement at least got a small smile out of the boy. "It's Bridger's business when he lets you handle the computers, and it's probably better if the UEO doesn't know so much about it. That's why they sent their computer expert," the doctor tried to explain.
Lucas nodded in understanding. He also knew that the captain did give him more leeway than he should. "But still, I don't understand why he won't even let me take a look at the updates."
Kristen looked at their youngest crew member in surprise. "You really haven't looked at them?"
"NO!" he whined.
"And why not?" Dr. Westphalen was really astonished by his answer.
Lucas stuck a label on a test tube. "If I want to see them then I have to hack into the system."
"As happy as I am that you haven't done it, I'm also quite surprised. I always thought you loved hacking, so why don't you do it?"
The blond teenager made a face. "Because I promised the captain I wouldn't, and I always keep my promises."
So that was the real root of the problem. She felt a bit sorry for the boy. She laid her hand sympathetically on his, and then she pulled him around so that she could face him fully and take his other hand. "Your hands are very warm." Before Lucas had a chance to react, Kristen laid her hand on his forehead. "You have a fever."
The computer genius shook his head and quickly stepped back out of her reach. "No, I'm fine!"
"Believe me Lucas, I've been a doctor long enough to be able to tell whether someone is ill or not. You have a fever, a sore throat, and a cold, if I'm not mistaken. You should be lying in your bed and getting rest, not working."
The teenager frowned. "It's just a little cold, that's all."
"Well then, if that is the case, I'm sure you won't mind coming with me to med bay so that I can examine you," said Kristen.
"It's really just a harmless cold, there's no need to examine me." The fact that he sneezed at just that moment didn't help to convince the doctor he was right.
Dr. Westphalen put her hands on her hips. "I'm still the doctor here, and that means that I decide what is necessary and what is not. Either you go to your cabin, get in bed like a good boy, and let me examine you there, or you come with me to med bay and I can guarantee that you will stay overnight."
Lucas turned up his nose. He didn't like that at all. "That's blackmail!"
The red-haired woman shrugged her shoulders. "You can call it what you want. What is your decision?"
The computer genius grumbled a bit. "I'll go to my cabin."
Kristen smiled. "Good boy!"
To Be Continued…
Written 2005 / Translated Spring 2006