Soul of my soul

All disclaimers apply

Lucas meets the physical embodiment of missing 10 years

Authors note:

Chapter 10 is now up. Those of you asking for drama let me just say you've got it this chapter. I thought that this would go for a few more chapters, but honestly its wrapping up faster then I expected and thus there will only be a couple more chapters. I worked on this for a while and I think my writing isn't what it used to be, so please forgive me.

As always reviews are appreciated and I take all feedback seriously.

Chapter one : The provocative, the senile and the lost...

The water felt refreshing. It had been a long, long time since Lucas had been in the moon pool. The smell of the salt and the feeling on his face was wonderful. He felt like he was a kid again, and it was great.

"Lucas Play!" his mammal friend happily exclaimed. Lucas said nothing in reply, he simply smiled widely. His eyes lit up in a way that they hadn't done for an equally long time. He held less tension around his eye and his body was relaxed. For a moment, Lucas looked like his 20-something year old self.

I need to do this more often

It was the year 2036. The war on Macronesia had been flaring for nearly three years now with no real end in sight. Lucas was a few months off of his official 32nd birthday and for the first time since he enlisted, didn't feel obligated to act beyond any age other then the one he knew. He let himself escape and just enjoy the private moments he had to himself. There was also another factor in play that he was reluctant to acknowledge, sex. He was horny; there was no polite way to put it. Getting older only sharpened his senses for it and shore leave became less about watching guys like Tony and Jim be successful in their pursuits and more about Lucas recognizing that he does in fact, attract the attentions of the fairer sex. Physically Lucas had changed seemingly overnight. He had lost that softness from his teens and now his face was all sharp attractive angles set with brilliant blue eyes and thick blonde hair. While always considered cute when he was younger, now he could easily be called handsome. He was managing to seduce ladies a little more often nowadays.

The thought made him grin. He felt energized by it, almost hyperactive, He bounded about the boat like a Tigger gone rouge, for once in his life, he couldn't focus on anything. Lucas even found himself speaking out of turn on the bridge and then laughing at himself as a result, prompting of course, a stern response for his captain.

"Something amusing, Mr. Wolenczak?"

Lucas gave himself another laugh as he laid backwards into the water, letting it relax all of his tension. Darwin nudged at him impatiently. He had been waiting for Lucas to do something other than swim continuously in circles. Darwin didn't understand his friends need to expend his energy. Eventually, Darwin gave up, swimming off to the sound of clicks and whistles that the vocorder couldn't translate. Lucas looked about surprised by Darwin's actions, finding it both scientifically interesting and socially amusing he was doing the dolphin equivalent of storming off in a huff. Nice one Darwin.

"Lucas!"

The loud voice made Lucas jump. He finally managed to unwind till that voice came. The echo and the shock made him tense up again. He swashed about in the water to see who had rudely interrupted his relaxation. Before him was his former room mate. Tony had his hands on his hips and looked rather serious.

"What Tony!" Lucas responded, agitated.

"Don't you answer your PAL? I've been buzzin' you for the last 10 minutes." Tony was truly frustrated with Lucas, that's odd Lucas thought to himself. Truth was he actually had no idea where his PAL was, but dare not actually tell anyone. It wasn't really like Lucas to lose things.

"Sorry, I must not have heard it." Lucas apologized. Tony rolled his eyes at his young friend. He had noticed Lucas was acting a little "beside himself" lately.

"What's with you, Wolenczak?"

"There's nothing with me, Tony,"

"Ha! Riiight... listen, the new recruits are arriving and Hudson wants all off duty officers to help out at the docking bay,"

Lucas rolled his eyes. He swam to the edge of the moon pool and pulled his dripping wet self out before flopping onto the floor like a dead fish.

"I hate new crew," Lucas complained.

Tony didn't like Lucas when he had so much unfocused energy. He was actually exhausting for the most part and he made Tony feel old despite there being less then 5 years between them. It was amusing though, it was nice to see Lucas could be an average guy. Tony shook his head in a manner that reminded him of his mother and leaned down to pull wet Lucas to his feet. Grabbing his slippery arm, he pulled Lucas.

"C'mon Luc!" he strained; Lucas continued to imitate a dead fish, a very large, heavy dead fish. Tony finally gave up, letting whatever part of Lucas was partially lifted off the floor drop back onto it.

"Fine, you want to get onto Hudson's even worser side, stay right there, but I ain't going down with ya Wolenczak."

Lucas propped himself to a sitting position, looking at Tony and his frustrated eyes. Lucas frowned curiously,

"I thought Lonnie taught you how to speak?"

Tony returned the frown on Lucas's face. Lucas knew very well Lonnie taught Tony to read.

"She taught me to read!" he exclaimed, insulted.

Lucas did like ribbing Tony when he got the chance, but only to get a little of his own back for all the years they shared quarters and having to put up with Tony's music, posters and mess. He picked up his towel and left Tony cursing at him in Italian. Something he had taken to doing when one day he forgot to turn off his headset and cursed like the proverbial sailor after Hudson dressed him down for a dangerous maneuver in his sub fighter. Safe to say no one's mother would be receiving insults in English ever again.

000

The docking bay was a mess. Bags, shipping crates and cartons of food and supplies littered the area like a war zone. People were wandering aimlessly without a clue as to where they were supposed to go. Commander Ford and Lieutenant O'Neill were trying their best to direct everyone in the room, but were not having much luck. Desperate for some order, they were both very relieved to see Tony arrive. He entered the mass and looked the place over; he could not see Jonathan and Tim who were barely a few feet away.

"Tony!" Tim cried out, he could see Piccolo was starting to adapt the same lost look most of the new crew had.

Tim's voice was barely audible but Tony managed to hear it. He spotted the two waving their arms furiously. He smiled and hurried to their aid.

"Here Tony, take a manifest and get these people to sign in," the commander instructed, jamming a slim computer tablet into Tony's chest.

"Yes, sir," Tony hissed in reply, he detested manifest duty, it was annoying and the new enlistments all had an eager happiness about them, so very excited to be aboard. It was nothing like his arrival on the massive ship, maybe he was a little envious his coming aboard wasn't something he could have gotten excited about. He saluted the commander and disappeared into the crowd.

Ford shook his head in frustration. The shipment of new crew were supposed to arrive one shuttle a day for the week, but with the Chaodai attacking Macronesia and Macronesia "conflicting" with the UEO seaQuest pushed for a early arrival on behalf of everyone. Most of the new crew was so fresh out of the academy they hadn't had time to dry from their sub fighter training. They were young, some of them even as young as 18. The UEO had searched the confederations for talented/skilled recruits and sailors who showed an aptitude for small, fast submersibles when given fast tracked training and pressed into commission before they could say United Earth Oceans organization. Ford briefly reminisced about how young Lucas was when he came aboard, but he was a scientist. He hadn't been sent to seaQuest to destroy her enemies.

On the thought of Lucas...where is he?

"Wolenczak, report to docking bay immediately," the commander ordered over his PAL.

"Already on my way sir," came the static voice on the other end.

Moments passed before Lucas' small frame filled the docking bay entrance. He was dressed in his blue jump suit and his wet hair was combed neatly off his face. He looked fresh and happy, despite the mess before him. He leaned into the entrance looking about for someone he recognized. Not too distant from him he saw the commander checking things off a tablet. With what seemed like an effortless action, he glided over to his commander.

"Commander," Lucas spoke to get his attention.

"AHH, Lucas! Here" Ford immediately responded to Lucas's presence with a tablet computer.

"Find the people on this list, make sure they are who they say they are then tell them where their quarters are located" he ordered.

Lucas frowned at the list. Names and photos scrolled before him.

"How am I supposed to find these people?" Lucas questioned the Commander's plan.

"You know Lucas, you're a smart guy, work it out."

Before Lucas had the chance to protest at the seemingly impossible task, Ford cut him off.

"Dismissed lieutenant"

Lucas gave him a squinty eye look before shuffling off into the crowd.

This was going to take forever.