Author's Note: Sorry for the wait, I've been sick. I should be picking it back up now. Enjoy!
Katie nestled against Ben in her cabin wiping away tears as the colorful light from her vid-screen played across the both of them. "You know it's a happy ending, why do you always cry?"
"Because," she sniffled, "it's sad when they have to leave Kevin. And don't pretend you didn't when Ellie died."
"That's different," he said gruffly, wrapping an arm around her, and swallowing his own tears.
The bird started to talk, saying goodbye to the other characters, and Katie laughed. "See, it's happy." Ben teased with a lopsided grin.
"It's just the sound the stupid things makes, ok? It's funny."
Ben relaxed into the bunk, "I've really missed this."
"Me too," Katie answered quietly.
"No! Absolutely not!" Kristin snapped, glaring at Jonathan.
"Doc…" he started sitting up slowly, smiling widely at her. "I need to dive, if I don't, we could be stuck here for days. Then I'll come right back. You can babysit me all you want then."
She rebuffed his attempt to sweet talk her. "You aren't leaving his room, much less this ship. If you pass out when you are under three thousand meters, you don't have a chance. Do you want to be scooped up by Mr. Krieg?" Kristin tried to appeal to Jonathan's pride. "Do you think he will ever let you live that down?"
He blinked, and his smile slipped. "I hadn't thought about that. But why would I pass out? I feel fine." Jonathan continued to argue for the sake of it.
"I know for certain you haven't eaten for at least a whole day, and I doubt you have slept in the last couple days. The IV drip is giving you some of your nutrients back, but it will take time." Kristen informed him unequivocally. The fact that he didn't dispute her statement only proved her assumption.
"I'm sorry, Jonathan," she said in a more gentle tone. "I know the pressures you are under, but even the UEO brass wouldn't order you out there. One small mistake would have dire consequences."
He nodded, and laid back silently, accepting small bowl of broth when it was offered. Nathan entered the medbay as Jonathan drank, and he nearly spilled on himself in his eagerness to speak to the captain before Kristin.
Unfortunately, she caught the reaction and turned to see Nathan. "I will say the same to you as I told the commander. He is not going out there."
Nathan put his hands up and took a step back before he answered. "I wasn't going to say a thing."
"Sir, I really am feeling better, can't we work something out?" Jonathan pressed. "It'll only take me a few hours at most."
Kristin's eyes flashed in anger, "I will make a deal with you, Commander, allow me to give you one last injection, then decide."
"Accepted," he answered smugly. Jonathan missed the triumphant expression that crossed Kristin's face when he agreed. If he had seen it, he would have run.
After administering the shot directly into his IV, Kristin stepped back and simply waited. Jonathan stared back defiantly for a minute, finally he looked confused. "What… what was in that?"
Slowly his eyelids started to droop, then his chin hit his chest. Nathan shook his head, looking at the man breathing deeply in front of him. "That was a sedative, wasn't it?"
"He should have asked what it was before agreeing."
"So, before that happens over here, what is your story?" Henry asked from his bed on the other side of the medbay.
They had watched the exchange between the three adults with no small amount of amusement. Lucas had a sneaking suspicion he would be next on the doctor's radar.
He set down the computer tablet, and chewed his lip. "Ah, well, it's a long one."
"I think I might have some time. She hasn't glared at us lately." Henry responded dryly, glancing to Kristin who was still looking over the slumbering body of Jonathan, and checking his vitals. "Does she always override orders?"
Lucas laughed, "when she thinks it in our best interest."
The laugh crawled back into his throat to die when the subject of their discussion walked over. She gave them a severe look. "One hour, Lucas, then he needs to sleep."
He nodded mutely, and Kristin left them. Henry raised an eyebrow. "You all seem cowed by her."
"Cowed?" Lucas wrinkled his face in confusion.
"Um, you obey her without question."
"Oh!" Lucas shrugged, "it's just easier. She's kinda scary when she's mad. And she really does care."
"So," Henry chuckled, "how did you come to be here?" He hoped a sudden subject change may loosen the young man's tongue. He was not disappointed.
Lucas sighed, "my dad is kind of an inventor. He had a few important projects going on. I guess I got in the way." He fidgeted with the blanket on Henry's bed. "I mean, I tried to help a few times and it didn't go well. He sent me away to college first, and I thought it might be different when I got done. It wasn't."
"This is some kind of punishment?"
"He thought a military sub would teach me some discipline." Lucas responded with a trace of cynicism. "But I do like it here, after I got used to it."
Henry nodded, "Icarus."
"What?"
He flushed, "forgive me, I have a weakness for the classic stories. Daedalus, his father, was a craftsman and builder. But Icarus was also very bright in his own way. He helped his father build some of his inventions. Many people believe Daedalus was jealous of his own child, and allowed him to be captured with him."
"Whatever the reason, Icarus was imprisoned simply for being with his father. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and related to the wrong person. Much like you."
Lucas was staring at him, dumbstruck. Because of the expression, Henry realized he was speaking his theory with great passion. He stopped talking abruptly and looked away uncomfortably. "Sorry, my mind makes connections that aren't there."
"No," Lucas grinned. "I actually like that, it makes a lot of sense. And I've seen enough people like me crash and burn, I'll never get too close to the sky."
"That's reassuring to hear." Henry paused, looking at him from the corner of his eye. "Do you mind if I call you that? Icarus?"
Lucas seemed almost hurt. "Why? Don't you like my name?"
"No," Henry quickly shook his head. "It isn't that. One... One of the men on our base was named Lucas... Luke actually. He was five years older than I. When I was lonely or just plain scared, he looked out for me. He was..."
"Like a brother." Lucas supplied quietly.
Henry nodded, "yes, and I could hear him. Above all the noise when we were attacked. I could hear him yelling my name, trying to find me." He hid his face. "But I still ran, I left him to die."
"Hey," Lucas reached out to touch Henry's knee. The man tensed automatically at the contact, but then relaxed and looked up. "Look at this way: if you had gone to him, you would probably be dead. You wouldn't have fallen in the ice, and we wouldn't have found you."
He grinned, "this world is pretty cool now. You'll have fun as soon as we find you a place to live. If you're as good as you seem, you can get a job anywhere. Maybe even on the ship."
"Yes," Henry agreed quickly. "From what I've seen already, I have truly left the cave."
Lucas smirked at him. "Hey, I know that one! The guys chained to the wall only seeing shadows, right? And it isn't until one of them gets to leave that, he sees what life can actually be."
Henry laughed, "a shortened version. My teachers would slap my hands for wording it like that, but yes, you are correct."
The sound of a throat clearing grabbed their attention. "I think that's my hint." Lucas muttered, glancing in Kristin's direction. She was standing with her back towards them, pretending to not listen.
Lucas pressed him fingers to his lips, and picked up the tablet. After ensuring the video was sent to his private computer, he passed it over. "Some bedtime reading," he whispered. "But if you get caught with it, you don't know me."
Henry nodded, and stowed the computer under his pillow with a wink. "Will you be around in the morning?"
"I'll probably have some work to do, but yeah, I'll be around." Lucas answered, standing and starting to walk away. "G'night, ex-corpse-icle dude."
"Good night, Icarus."