Author's Note: I hope everyone has a happy and safe Holiday season! See you in a few days.
"Sir?" Tim asked, exchanging a troubled look with Lucas. Cursing was not something that commonly was heard from the Commander.
"Yes, sorry." Was the eventual response. "I need Captain Bridger."
"We'll call him, what's going on?" Lucas replied, still trying to figure out what was happening. Although the WSKR was closer now, it was only looked like a particularly dirty chunk of ice.
"I need to talk to him, and Dr. Westphalen." They could see Jonathan reaching up a hand to the ice in front of him. Loner circled around to the side, and they saw it was wedge shaped. One end was four to five feet thick, while the other just over a foot. The edges were sharp and jagged as if it was freshly broken.
"I think this just became more than bringing some seeds back."
Tim started to connect him to Nathan's PAL. "What is it?" Lucas continued to push.
"A body."
Lucas raced down the corridor, nimbly avoiding crew members. No one tried to stop him, they were all too accustom to the sight. He reached the air lock as Nathan was sliding the PAL into his pocket. He merely raised an eyebrow. "You're bringing it on the ship." Lucas stated shortly after catching his breath.
"Yes, of course. Why?"
"Uh... The last time we brought a frozen guy onboard it didn't go very well."
Nathan nodded, quickly understanding the connection. "This is different, Lucas. He's dead, not cryogenically frozen, and no one is with him. We just want to return his body to his family."
"No, I get that... just..."
"We will take every precaution." Kristin's crisp accent cut him off, from behind. They spun, "I'm not overly fond of the idea either."
Any further discussion was halted when the airlock hissed opened. Ben and Jonathan stepped aside to allow the crew members into the SeaCrab to retrieve the block. "I trust you were careful with it, Mr. Krieg?" Kristin asked when they reached her.
"Of course," he smirked. "Pretended I was cleaning an egg with a jackhammer."
She blinked in response, "well, as disconcerting as that thought is, thank you."
They fell into a respectful silence as the ice incrusted body was brought passed them on a stretcher. Kristin leaned over it, and brushed some of the condensation off. "They reported all accounted for." She murmured to herself.
"Could there have been a stowaway?" Ben asked at her shoulder.
"It's always possible," Nathan agreed, "but given the climate, it's doubtful."
The ice was thinnest around the body's face and shoulders, Nathan grimaced at the dark and damaged flesh showing through. It was difficult to pick out facial characteristics other than an open mouth, as if the person had died screaming. "It'll be hard to get an ID without DNA."
Kristin nodded, "as soon as the ice melts down I'll be able to go through his… or her pockets and see what I can find without injuring the body further."
"What's on his shoulder?" Lucas suddenly asked. The thinner coating of ice was melting quicker than the rest, revealing the body's dark olive uniform and a distinct patch on the sleeve.
Deep green stood out vividly against a pale background, "is that a frog?" Kristin enquired in bewilderment.
"Oh…" Nathan breathed softly. "I believe that might be some good news. If that patch is real, and not just for show, this body isn't from the ship."
"What is it?" Ben was rubbing the ice, trying to see it better.
Jonathan scoffed, "it's part of your history Krieg, you should know this." He exchanged a knowing look with his captain.
"What do you see in the frog's hand?" Nathan prodded.
"A red stick? Or a candle… or something." Ben shrugged, "it's hard to make out."
"It's like old fashion dynamite you see in cartoons." Lucas tapped the ice directly over the patch, "you can see the wick burning."
Nathan nodded, "that is the insignia for Underwater Demolition Teams in the 1940's. Before they were SEAL's."
"World War Two?" Kristin raised an eyebrow, "oh, my goodness. The poor dear has been frozen for that long."
She straighten and clapped her hands, startling everyone. "That means he could be carrying pathogens we haven't seen for years. The body needs to be brought to my lab and quarantined immediately."
"Do you need bio-suits?" Nathan was suddenly very concerned by the idea of diseases ravaging his ship and eventually the world. Images of the victims stricken with polio, scarlet fever, and tuberculosis flickered through his mind.
Kristin shook her head. "I doubt anything would have survived healthy enough to require that kind of barrier. I will run scans as I work, the ship will alert me if there is anything in the air. The quarantine is purely for caution."
The men around her still seemed uneasy, and she smiled at their concern. "I have a suit, I keep it in my office. If it makes you feel better, I'll keep it close by at all times."
"We need two." Lucas announced, crossing his arms over his thin chest.
"Two? Why ever would I need another? I'll be the only one allowed with the body until we know it's safe." Kristin braced herself with an argument with the teen.
He shook his head, "nope. I am not leaving you alone with a frozen dude. Not after Zellar."
A proud expression crossed Kristin's face. "Lucas, that is very kind, but…"
"I second that." Nathan announced gruffly. "I need to be on the bridge until we're away from all this ice and the seeds are collected. Lucas will be your official lab buddy until that body is off my ship."
Kristin glowered at the kindhearted, but very overprotective men around her, they stared impassively back. "Fine," she sighed, "but make yourself useful and bring…" She hesitated over a label for the dead man in the ice.
"Steve?" Lucas offered hopefully, smirking.
"Or Rodgers." Ben continued, shooting a sidelong glance at the blond, and copying his expression.
"What?" Kristin started to ask, then shook her head. "No, I don't need to know. Not if it has you two grinning like that. Fine… Steve Rodgers will do." She ignored the quiet whoop as she turned away and strode to the labs.