Serving as a sequel to "An Ocean Away," this story resumes with main character Kim Vernon approximately twelve years after her short time aboard the seaQuest in the season one universe. This story will tackle both the before and aftermath of the events of Hyperion from the perspective of Kim as she is now Captain of her own ship which is currently patrolling the Caribbean. Much to the UEO's dismay, President Miguel (as remembered from "The Good Death" in season one) is nearly as much of a menace now to the islands and Central and South America just like Alexander Bourne wreaks havoc for the opposite side of the globe. He is power hungry. And his struggle for control will bring much disruption to the lives of Captain Vernon, her crew, the UEO, and the seaQuest. And of course the flame of romance I lit in the last story is far from being quenched. **WINK** I hope you all will enjoy this story! Thanks for reading and reviewing as always! God Bless, Kath.

FROM THESE ASHES

Chapter One

"I'll Be There"

Havana Regional Hospital

Havana, Cuba

September 20, 2032 – 1306 hours

He felt a throb in his head as he slowly opened his eyes, the harsh hospital lights piercing his pupils. His breathing was shallow...forced, merging with each groan as he fought for air between a few raspy coughs. And then his vision blurred, cleared, and blurred once more until he clasped his eyes shut from the frustration of it, cringing as he tried lifting a weak hand to his aching head. But the strength just wasn't there. He tried fighting off the ringing in his ears with another groan. Only as he heard another voice did his hearing begin to become clearer. He finally opened his eyes towards the voice only for his vision to blur again. Yet despite this discomforting struggle, he could almost make out the face. It was feminine…and almost familiar. Dark blonde curls bobbed against her shoulders while a smile spread across her face. She was standing over him in anticipation, her hand grasping his. As his vision cleared, he could make out that she was wearing a lovely red blouse resting loosely against her shoulders, conforming to her form and tucked neatly inside a pair of belt-snug faded denim jeans. The blouse's open v-neck gently cradled a shimmering silver pendant which hung around her neck and rested on her bare chest. Only after he had groggily scanned her up and down a few times did he recognize that familiar smile.

"Doc? Lonnie? Wendy?" he managed. But the sound was strained and raspy, triggering a short coughing fit. But he forced it away.

"No, Miguel," the gentle voice returned, drawing closer to him. "It's me. Don't you remember?"

Miguel Ortiz forced himself to open his eyes despite the pain. "Kim?! How—how did…? Where are…?"

UEO Captain Kim Vernon raised her hand to silence him. "All in due time. But you need your rest right now. It's a miracle you're even here."

"Here? Where's here?" Ortiz pressed.

"All in good time," Kim echoed and let go of his hand. She reached for her UEO issue jacket and started for the door, pausing to look back at him with her hand set on the doorframe. She smiled. "I'll be back shortly. Don't go anywhere."

Miguel wanted to laugh but couldn't. The pain and confusion was too strong. He knew he had to have broken a rib. Maybe more. It was the only logical explanation. He scoffed at that thought. Logic. It wasn't a virtue that he had in high supply. Nothing made sense. Kim looked older than she had last year. Not much. Just some. He felt like he had walked through hell itself. And through the narrow gap in the hospital window's curtains he could see the makings of some familiar city. He felt like he had been here before in some other lifetime. What made this entire mystery even more unpredictable was the fact that he could not remember a single thing that had happened within the last seven days.

~sQsQsQ~

TWO YEARS EARLIER

Vernon Family Beach House

New Cape Quest, Florida

June 8, 2030 – 1835 hours

Kim Vernon stood on the top balcony of her father's beachside home, one hand clasped around her eyes to guard herself from the remaining afternoon sunlight and the other fingering the last letter she had received from Miguel Ortiz. She tried in vain to get any glimpse of activity on the ocean waters. Nothing. Nothing for miles. Many of the party guests had already arrived and begun participating in festivities. She could hear music from the patio stereos and women exclaiming as they began dancing with their random partners. A short moment later she felt her father's touch on her shoulder, his smiling signaling to her that it was time. She gave him a smile in return and assured him she would come in a moment. She had to watch the water for just a little while longer. Ben Fremont had been promised twenty-four hours leave with UEO guards surrounding him in order to attend this occasion. Somehow within all her longing for Ben's forgiveness, she knew he wouldn't come. Why would he? It would only make him angrier to see his sister get such an esteemed promotion. No, perhaps that was an excuse for keeping watch. Truth be told, she longed to see a familiar face from her past come walking onto that sandy beach to smile to her and say how much she had been missed. But she highly doubted he would come either. After all, having not returned her emails within eight years seemed like a sure sign that he no longer wanted anything to do with her.

"Kimberly, sweetheart," her father urged, his smile broadening. "Come on. Let's start the party. There are distinguished guests waiting to congratulate you."

"I know, father," Kim replied, still searching the roaring ocean below. "Do you think he will come?"

"Ben? I would hate to say no, darling. But it's highly unlikely…considering his current status."

"No," Kim corrected him. "I don't mean Ben. Remember? I told you I had invited some of the crew from seaQuest to come."

"Ah, yes!" he chuckled to cover his own mistake. He glanced at his Rolls Royce. "You told them to be here at five. I should say you've been stood up...especially considering that they were lost at sea, dear. You've got to let go and move on with your life. You'll make yourself senile and sick being like this."

Kim shook her head intently. "No. They're alive. If they were dead I'd know it."

"If they were, they would be here by now. Are you sure you just haven't overestimated your relationship with these people? You only were with them for three days. That isn't nearly enough time to develop a lasting relationship. And you say you fell in love."

Kim's father's sarcastic tone lacing those latter words were enough to make her shut her eyes tight and wish she had never heard her father say that. She loved him dearly. But it had been her hope of reunited with a man she barely knew that had made her turn down two proposals from distinguished gentlemen in the Vernon family circle. Both were well-decorated in the UEO Navy. But neither had made her feel quite like Ortiz had those three short days they had spent together nine years ago. Apparently her father couldn't understand her heart in the matter.

"Darling," he took a hold of her shoulders gently and turned her around to look at her. "Ben is gone. Your Ortiz is gone. And as far as we know, the seaQuest is gone. You can't keep hoping for something that simply doesn't exist. You'll drive yourself mad."

"Maybe," Kim countered. "And maybe they need our help."

"Well, then why don't we head downstairs and make that happen?"

Kim gave him a questioning look but then smiled as she understood finally and slipped her arm through her father's as he offered it, allowing him to guide her to the celebration downstairs.

Nearly fifty people were there. Among them were some of the UEO's top-brass of whom was there only to wish their hero's daughter the best of luck as she forged out into her own new territory as Captain of the UEO's carrier the USS Wilder.

As the evening passed, so did Kim's desire to greet one more well-wisher. So as the final guests began to leave, she retreated into the beach house to freshen up and gather her composure. She enjoyed congregating with people. But she also needed her time alone to recharge. Kim was emerging from the bathroom to find her father when a sudden crash signaled a flurry of emotion to the opposite side of the home. Father's butler and a cook were among those who rushed towards the sound. Kim immediately kicked up her heels and ran out of the house, quickly finding her footing as she sprinted around the house to the other side where father had been having a few repairs done to the home. She didn't much care about her fancy dress as she pushed through the gathered crowd and found her father pinned beneath a fallen scaffold, gasping for every breath.

"I'm such a clumsy fool," he gasped.

"D—don't talk, daddy," Kim sobbed as she gathered his head in her heads as she knelt in the sawdust absentmindedly. "Somebody call a doctor!" she screamed to the guests who were held captive in shock. "Now!" she sobbed. But as she looked back down into her father's eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks, she knew it would be a futile effort.

"Don't cry," her father begged through a forced smile. "It's not your fault that your father's an idiot. I should have avoided this area like Caleb told me to. But I didn't listen." He gasped for air with more difficulty than the last one. He grasped Kim's hand tightly and looked her square in the eyes and said, "Don't give up. Don't you dare give up on them."

"I won't," Kim didn't hesitate to promise through another sob. "Never."

And with those words said, her father took a deep, sharp inhale and let it go with the deepest satisfaction as he carefully slipped away, his hand's grasp falling limp within Kim's shaking hands.

~sQsQsQ~

PRESENT DAY

USS Wilder Captain's Quarters

The Caribbean Sea near Cuba

September 17, 2032 – 1905 hours

Captain Vernon, having just received an urgent message from Secretary General McGath, quickly cut the link on her vid-com and removed her UEO cap to run a tired hand through her curly hair. She sighed sharply, wondering how much more chaos could come to the world today. It was midnight. Another day was upon her. Another day to make a difference the way she promised her father as he was drawing his final breath on this day two years ago.

Nothing seemed to be going her way. In fact, if she thought through this day long enough, she was bound to go completely insane. So many thoughts rushed through her mind as Vernon tried to process McGath's news.

President Miguel of Brazil had risen to significant power by his own hand of force since the "unfortunate death" of his predecessor had taken place years ago. Since then he had become just as power hungry, moving in and taking over vast amounts of South America and the underwater colonies nearby. With Bourne controlling much of the Eastern Hemisphere, the Western Hemisphere was left unguarded and merciless to President Miguel's tyrannical hand. Oddly enough, he had not been as hard of a leader at first. No, he had become the people's advocate for a better life. Brazil's economic infrastructure strengthened and grew like it never had before until conflicts with other nations instilled an insatiable desire in their president for more power. Now, he had his sights set on Cuba.

Lifting a tired hand to the vid-com, Kim dialed the only person she could think of that could lift her spirits. As soon as her familiar face flashed onto the screen, Vernon immediately smiled. "Katie, it's been too long."

"It sure has," Captain Katherine Hitchcock replied, donning a smile of her own. But she could see the fading joy in Kim's eyes and creased her forehead. "Kim? How are you doing?"

"Okay, I guess. Not much has been going on around here. President Miguel still won't make his move. We are just patrolling the coast right now. How about you? How's life on the Clinton?"

"Good," Katie nodded. "We've been patrolling near home in hopes of some action too. Now, enough of this." Katie sighed and focused her eyes on Kim, knowing her well enough that she knew her good friend was hiding something. "How are you truly holding up?"

"I'm good," Vernon insisted with a forced smile and cock of her head towards the calendar on her wall. Katie gave her a look. "I promise. I truly am fine. I'm just glad I have you to talk to."

"Hey, we lady captains have to stick together."

"That's the truth," Kim agreed, the two ladies sharing a laugh together which quickly alleviated at least some of Kim's overwhelming stress. "Have—have you spoken to any of the seaQuest crew since—since it happened?"

Katie shook her head forlornly. "Ben and I still talk. Kristin too. I spoke to Lucas last week. But I haven't heard from anyone else."

In her hand, Kim toyed with a letter…the last letter she had received from Miguel Ortiz. It seemed silly and old-fashioned. But they had managed to keep a correspondence going in the most unconventional way these days. As she looked back on it all, she was glad they had taken the time to do so in light of it all. At least she had something to hold on to and remind her of him.

Vernon sniffed hard and forced a smile as she turned back to look at Katie. "I can't believe they're gone. It will be ten years in just a few days."

"Yeah," Katie replied, her voice heavy with emotion as she remembered back to the memorial service that had been held in the crew's honor.

Neither Katie nor Kim had been able to attend no thanks to the skirmishes caused by Bourne's increasing power. But Ben had attended and recalled to her the touching way the UEO had chosen to pay its tribute. Yet everyone knew mere words and speeches about accolades and successes could quite embody what their fellow crew members had meant to them all.

"Well, I should go," Kim announced abruptly. "I'm due on the bridge any minute now."

"Same here," Katie chimed in with a smile and reached to cut the link but was stopped by her own thoughts. "Kim, thank you."

Kim chuckled, "You're welcome. But what for?"

"For being my good friend. I don't think anyone truly understands how lonely this job can get. But you do. And I'm glad we keep in touch."

Kim smiled gently. "I'm glad too. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Kim."

As Katie cut the link, Kim turned her attention back to the letter in her hands that she continued to toy with absentmindedly. She was tempted to open it and read it again for the fiftieth time but decided against it. Instead, she tucked it inside the chest pocket of her UEO uniform and stood resolutely and determinedly in route for the command of her bridge.