Chapter Seven

SeaQuest DSV, Bridge, a few minutes later…

"And this," Bridger said, as the clam doors opened, "is the bridge."

Robert smiled. "Wow, Dad," he said, as they stepped into the room. "This is amazing!"

The captain laughed. "I'm glad you like it," he said, clapping him on the back. "C'mon."

They walked to the center of room where Commander Ford stood, in charge of the bridge.

"Robert," Bridger said, "this is my XO, Commander—"

"Jonathon Ford," Robert said, smiling.

Ford turned around and smiled back. "Robert Bridger," he said, nodding his head.

The captain fell silent, sensing that this was another encounter with an old friend for his son.

"Are you still the most uptight guy I ever met?" Robert asked, smirking.

"I don't know," Ford said, returning the smirk. "Are you still the easiest going guy I ever met?"

The two young men laughed and shook hands.

"It's great to see you, Bobby," Ford told his old friend.

"You too, man," Robert replied. "So, you're taken orders from my old man, huh?"

Ford looked at Bridger, respect clearly written on his face.

"I guess if there's anybody I'd have to take orders from," he said, truthfully, "I'd rather it be him."

"Yeah, I guess so," Robert said, glancing at his dad. "But it was sure a pain in the ass when I was fifteen!"

The captain rolled his eyes. "Oh, very funny," he said, snorting. "C'mere, let me show you around."

They walked over to where Chief Crocker stood, eyeballing the female helmsman.

"Uncle Manny!" Robert exclaimed, laughing. "What on earth are you doing below the water instead of being on top of it?"

Crocker smiled widely. "As I live and breathe," he said, laughing. "Little Bobby Bridger!"

"Not so little anymore," Robert said, embracing him, "but still not taller than Dad."

It was true, despite his muscular physique, he was several inches shorter than the captain.

"Ah, he's nothin' but a beanpole," Crocker said, teasingly. "You got it where it counts, trust me."

Robert laughed at that, especially at the frown his father sent the other man's way.

"So, you're the security chief," he said, nodding. "I thought that was you that helped me out back there, but I wasn't sure…"

"Yep, that was me," Crocker said, proudly. "And I was sure glad to do it, too. I ain't seen your dad so happy since…well, since he adopted Lucas."

"Which was only a few weeks ago," Bridger reminded him, rolling his eyes. "Now, if you'll excuse us, there is lot more to see."

Robert chuckled. "He was always easy to play," he whispered to the chief. "Catch yaw later, Chief."

"You know it, kid," Crocker said, winking.

He then followed his father over to the communications station.

"Robert," Bridger said, clapping Tim on the back, "this is Lieutenant Tim O'Neill, our communications officer."

"It's nice to meet you," Tim said, holding out his hand. "Ben's told us stories, so it's nice to put a face with the name."

Robert nodded.

"Nice to meet you, too," he said, shaking his hand. "And if it came out of Ben's mouth, ten to one it's a bold face lie—unless it was something good, of course."

Tim smiled at that. He could tell he was going to like Robert Bridger a lot.

"We'll let you get back to work, Mr. O'Neill," Bridger told him, pulling him to the next station. "Over here, son, is Chief Petty Officer Miguel Ortiz, our sonar expert."

"Hey there, how yaw doin'?" Miguel said, holding out his hand. "Like Tim said, it sure is nice to finally meet you."

Robert shook his hand, too. "You too, man," he said, glancing at his station. "But what the hell are W.S.K.R.S.?"

"You would probably know them as roving buoys," Bridger told him. "They're our eyes out there."

Miguel hit some buttons and showed them what his 'toys' were picking up.

"Amazing," Robert said, grinning. "I'm impressed, Dad."

"I'm glad," Bridger said, grinning. "It's about time I did something that impressed you."

"You always impressed me," Robert told him. "Even when I didn't appreciate it…"

"Excuse me, Sir," Ford said, "but can I speak to you for a minute?"

"Sure, Commander," the captain said, and then glanced back at his son. "Just wander around for a minute."

Robert nodded and started walking around the bridge while his father spoke quietly to Ford.

There was one station he'd noticed before, but hadn't had a chance to look it over.

"Whose station is this?" he wondered out loud.

"It's mine," a voice behind him spoke.

He turned around to find Katie Hitchcock standing there.

"Katie," Robert breathed, his eyes wide.

Katie swallowed the lump that formed in her throat at the sight of him.

He'd changed, grown older, but for the better.

He still managed to take her breath away.

"Yes," she said, glancing at her station rather than into his eyes. "I'm chief engineer."

"And a Lt. Commander now, I see," he said, smiling. "That's wonderful!"

"Um, yeah," she said, still avoiding looking into his eyes, "it is…but, I kinda need to get to work. So…"

"Oh," Robert said, realizing he was in her way. "Sorry."

He moved aside to allow her access to her station.

She sat down and immediately began punching buttons, trying to distract herself from him.

"What's a hyper reality probe?" he asked, curiously. He leaned in closer to get a better view.

Katie had to take a deep breath, having him this close wasn't doing much for the stoic facade she'd put up.

"It's a, um, virtual reality probe," she explained, nervously. "I control it with these gloves and the gears below my station. The head gear allows me to see what the probe sees and then it sends back the data to the boat."

"Impressive," he told her. "Did you design it yourself?"

"Uh, yes, I did," she said, swallowing again.

He smiled down at her. "You always did love to tinker," he said, smirking.

"Uh, Bo—Robert, I'm really busy right now," she said, hesitantly. "Do you think you could…?"

"Oh," Robert said, understanding. "Right. Stupid me. I didn't mean to distract—"

He froze, the pupils of his eyes dilated, and then he grabbed his head. "Uh!"

Katie swirled at the sound of his pained groan.

"Bobby!" she said, standing up. "What is it? What's wrong!?"

This got Bridger's attention, who rushed over.

"Lt. Commander, Robert," he asked, concerned. "What's wrong?"

"I-I don't know, Sir," Katie answered, her own electric blue eyes wide with worry.

The captain looked at his son. "Bobby," he said, quietly. "What is it, son?"

Robert, however, didn't seem to hear him. He was still grabbing his head and moaning.

Suddenly, he looked up and spun around towards the helms. He held out his hands.

His pupils began to pulsate, growing larger then retracting and then expanding again.

"Sir!" one of the helmsmen said. "The controls aren't working!"

"What?" Bridger asked, confused. "What do you mean?"

"S-Something, Sir," the lead helmsmen said, "is controlling the boat!"

"My controls aren't responding either, Captain," Tim reported.

"Mine, either," Miguel reported. "None of the W.S.K.R.S. are responding, Sir!"

Suddenly, the boat shifted.

"Somebody report!" Bridger yelled, exasperated. "What the hell is going on!?"

"We're being moved, Sir!" Crocker reported. "We've shifted to the left and up by a good thousand feet."

Suddenly the boat stopped moving.

"Uh," Robert moaned, his eyes rolling back in his head and he collapsed backwards.

"Bobby!" both Katie and Bridger yelled out, both reaching to catch him and lower him to the floor.

"Dr. Westphalen to the bridge," Ford called out over the comm. system. "I repeat Dr. Westphalen to the bridge!"

Just then, there was a loud sound like rumbling and then the boat was rocked hard by an explosion of some kind.

Almost everyone was knocked off their feet, except Katie and Bridger as they were crouched down supporting the unconscious Robert.

A few moments later, Kristen rushed into the bridge and glanced around at all of them.

"Well," she asked, hands on her hips. "Isn't somebody going to tell me what the hell that was!?"

"I wish I knew, Kristen," the captain told her, glancing down at his unconscious son. "I really wish I knew…"

…TBC…