Author: MacKynzie
Rating: PG-13
Part: 2/6
A Hidden Past - Part 2
"Hey, Mom, what's up?" Lucas questioned, only an hour later.
"Don't talk to me like that you little bastard!"
Great. Lucas sighed inwardly. 5 minutes in and he had already managed to irratate his mother.
"Now, listen here. You're going to come and stay with me for awhile."
"What?!" Lucas exploded " You can't be serious! I'm right in the middle of some very critical experiments. I couldn't possibly leave. There's just no way I-"
" Shut up! " Cynthia yelled " I have a chance at a new job that you, my so called genius son, are going to help me get. You are not going to screw this up for me! Do you understand that?! " She sneered, not waiting for an answer. " You're going to make nice with all the executives, ask intelligent questions, and amaze them with your computer skills. Now, SeaQuest is going to dock in Australia next week for supplies and you will be getting off and on to the next plane bound for New York. If I don't get this job, there will be hell to pay! Do we understand one another?" Cynthia asked dangerously.
Lucas nodded, resignedly. He knew it would be something like this. That was all he was good for to his parents. To flaunt him around at fancy receptions and dinners to further their careers. It had been that way his entire life. Nothing had changed just because he was living away from them on SeaQuest.
"Good. I'll see you in a week then." And with that she signed off without another word.
Lucas sighed once again, but there was no expression on his face. Years of practice had hardened him against his parents, but living on SeaQuest had softened him and Lucas knew it. Just the thought of a whole week with his mother and who knew what man made him numb inside and his stomach turn. " I'll be fine." Lucas tried to assure himself. " I know how to survive. I've done it all my life." Nevertheless, Lucas felt a little piece of himself die inside.
* * *
An hour-and-a-half later, Lucas was trudging to the mess. Although he felt naseous, and food was the last thing on his mind, he knew if he didn't show up he would be in serious trouble.
Lucas entered and stepped in line behind his good friend and commrade Ben Krieg. Ben turned around and said, " Oh, hey, Lucas. Didn't see ya' back there. So, how goes the vortex?" Lucas frowned.
" Don't even get me started on that piece of crap!"
" Oookaaayy" Ben said slowy, backtracking. " Uh, so what else is new?"
" Nothing " Lucas answered curtly.
" Ooookaayy. Oh, hey, Tim." Ben acknowledged Lt. Tim O'Neill, standing behind Lucas.
"Hey, guys" Tim replied, greeting Ben and Lucas. " Oh, Lucas, I haven't had a chance to thank you for working on the computer and communications sensory unit. The resolution is awesome!"
" It was no problem, really." Lucas responded as the 3 searched for a table. Seeing Captain Bridger and Doctor Westphalen as they waved them over, the 3 set their trays at the table. Greetings were exchanged as the group began to eat.
" Hey, that reminds me: Lucas, what did your mother want when she called earlier?"
Gee, thanks, Tim. Lucas thought, sourly. "Uh, nothing, really," might as well get it over with, " well, she wants me to come and stay with her for a little while. When we dock in Australia, I'll be heading for New York." Lucas' words came out in a rush and the 4 officers listening all looked on with varing degrees of surprise.
" That's only 5 days away!" Westphalen exclaimed.
" Congratulations!" Krieg said. Lucas did a double-take. What?!
" Wow! That will be fun, staying with your mom."
" Yeah, a blast." Lucas said, forcing a smile.
" How long will you be staying?" Bridger questioned " Where will we pick you up?"
" Well, probably about a week. Maybe longer." Lucas replied, noncommitly. " I'll just catch a flight to wherever SeaQuest is docked."
" Hmm. I suppose that would work out. We're just doing manoevers for the week and a half, anyway. "
" You lucky dog! A week break! During manoevers, no less!" Krieg exclaimed, envious.
Lucas coughed, struggling not to choke on his food. Imagine. Them congratulating him?!! If only they knew, Lucas thought ruefully.
* * *
Lucas sighed as he checked his watch for the umpteenth time. Shifting his position, he sight again, the anger having drained out him hours ago.
Lucas had arrived at his mother's house at 12:00 in the afternoon, only to find no one home and house locked up tight. That was irony because he had told her preciously when he would arrive.
It was now 5:00 pm.
Lucas knew that if he left and his mom returned and he wasn't there, she would be furious. Besides, where would he go anyway? It being a work day, no neighbors were home, and even if they were it wouldn't have mattered.
He had played on his laptop for an hour or so. He walked around the neighborhood for another hour. 3 hours just sitting there doing nothing. He had fallen asleep for about 30 minutes, but that was all.
Fidgeting again, he suddenly became aware of the smell of a cigarette. The next door neighbor was busy pruning a rose bush as he smoked.
Lucas enhaled deeply, enjoying the smell. He hadn't smoked in 10 months. He had, for obvious reasons, been forced to quite before coming aboard SeaQuest. Smoking had alway calmes his nerves, but on SeaQuest he had learned to channel all the excess energy in positive ways. Now just sitting there thinking of how badly his visit would go, Lucas wanted a cigarette so badly he could taste it.
Making a decision, he got up and made his way over the man.
"Evenin' " Lucas greeted.
" Oh, hello" the man looked around, unsure of where Lucas had just come from.
" Uh, do you, uh, possibly think that I could, uh....." Lucas motioned with his hands to cigarette dangling from the man's mouth.
" Huh? Oh, yeah, of course." Flustered, he dug into his pockets, found the pack, and pulled 3 out. Handing them and his lighter to Lucas, the man suddenly frowned as Lucas lite up and closed his eyes in pleasure. " I only wanted one, but thank you very much. I really appreciate it."
"No problem. Hey, are you old enough to be smoking, kid?"
Lucas squinted at him " I'm older than I look. " With that he nodded his thanks again and made his way back to his mother's porch to begin his waiting once again. But this time he had a comfort.
* * *
Rating: PG-13
Part: 2/6
A Hidden Past - Part 2
"Hey, Mom, what's up?" Lucas questioned, only an hour later.
"Don't talk to me like that you little bastard!"
Great. Lucas sighed inwardly. 5 minutes in and he had already managed to irratate his mother.
"Now, listen here. You're going to come and stay with me for awhile."
"What?!" Lucas exploded " You can't be serious! I'm right in the middle of some very critical experiments. I couldn't possibly leave. There's just no way I-"
" Shut up! " Cynthia yelled " I have a chance at a new job that you, my so called genius son, are going to help me get. You are not going to screw this up for me! Do you understand that?! " She sneered, not waiting for an answer. " You're going to make nice with all the executives, ask intelligent questions, and amaze them with your computer skills. Now, SeaQuest is going to dock in Australia next week for supplies and you will be getting off and on to the next plane bound for New York. If I don't get this job, there will be hell to pay! Do we understand one another?" Cynthia asked dangerously.
Lucas nodded, resignedly. He knew it would be something like this. That was all he was good for to his parents. To flaunt him around at fancy receptions and dinners to further their careers. It had been that way his entire life. Nothing had changed just because he was living away from them on SeaQuest.
"Good. I'll see you in a week then." And with that she signed off without another word.
Lucas sighed once again, but there was no expression on his face. Years of practice had hardened him against his parents, but living on SeaQuest had softened him and Lucas knew it. Just the thought of a whole week with his mother and who knew what man made him numb inside and his stomach turn. " I'll be fine." Lucas tried to assure himself. " I know how to survive. I've done it all my life." Nevertheless, Lucas felt a little piece of himself die inside.
* * *
An hour-and-a-half later, Lucas was trudging to the mess. Although he felt naseous, and food was the last thing on his mind, he knew if he didn't show up he would be in serious trouble.
Lucas entered and stepped in line behind his good friend and commrade Ben Krieg. Ben turned around and said, " Oh, hey, Lucas. Didn't see ya' back there. So, how goes the vortex?" Lucas frowned.
" Don't even get me started on that piece of crap!"
" Oookaaayy" Ben said slowy, backtracking. " Uh, so what else is new?"
" Nothing " Lucas answered curtly.
" Ooookaayy. Oh, hey, Tim." Ben acknowledged Lt. Tim O'Neill, standing behind Lucas.
"Hey, guys" Tim replied, greeting Ben and Lucas. " Oh, Lucas, I haven't had a chance to thank you for working on the computer and communications sensory unit. The resolution is awesome!"
" It was no problem, really." Lucas responded as the 3 searched for a table. Seeing Captain Bridger and Doctor Westphalen as they waved them over, the 3 set their trays at the table. Greetings were exchanged as the group began to eat.
" Hey, that reminds me: Lucas, what did your mother want when she called earlier?"
Gee, thanks, Tim. Lucas thought, sourly. "Uh, nothing, really," might as well get it over with, " well, she wants me to come and stay with her for a little while. When we dock in Australia, I'll be heading for New York." Lucas' words came out in a rush and the 4 officers listening all looked on with varing degrees of surprise.
" That's only 5 days away!" Westphalen exclaimed.
" Congratulations!" Krieg said. Lucas did a double-take. What?!
" Wow! That will be fun, staying with your mom."
" Yeah, a blast." Lucas said, forcing a smile.
" How long will you be staying?" Bridger questioned " Where will we pick you up?"
" Well, probably about a week. Maybe longer." Lucas replied, noncommitly. " I'll just catch a flight to wherever SeaQuest is docked."
" Hmm. I suppose that would work out. We're just doing manoevers for the week and a half, anyway. "
" You lucky dog! A week break! During manoevers, no less!" Krieg exclaimed, envious.
Lucas coughed, struggling not to choke on his food. Imagine. Them congratulating him?!! If only they knew, Lucas thought ruefully.
* * *
Lucas sighed as he checked his watch for the umpteenth time. Shifting his position, he sight again, the anger having drained out him hours ago.
Lucas had arrived at his mother's house at 12:00 in the afternoon, only to find no one home and house locked up tight. That was irony because he had told her preciously when he would arrive.
It was now 5:00 pm.
Lucas knew that if he left and his mom returned and he wasn't there, she would be furious. Besides, where would he go anyway? It being a work day, no neighbors were home, and even if they were it wouldn't have mattered.
He had played on his laptop for an hour or so. He walked around the neighborhood for another hour. 3 hours just sitting there doing nothing. He had fallen asleep for about 30 minutes, but that was all.
Fidgeting again, he suddenly became aware of the smell of a cigarette. The next door neighbor was busy pruning a rose bush as he smoked.
Lucas enhaled deeply, enjoying the smell. He hadn't smoked in 10 months. He had, for obvious reasons, been forced to quite before coming aboard SeaQuest. Smoking had alway calmes his nerves, but on SeaQuest he had learned to channel all the excess energy in positive ways. Now just sitting there thinking of how badly his visit would go, Lucas wanted a cigarette so badly he could taste it.
Making a decision, he got up and made his way over the man.
"Evenin' " Lucas greeted.
" Oh, hello" the man looked around, unsure of where Lucas had just come from.
" Uh, do you, uh, possibly think that I could, uh....." Lucas motioned with his hands to cigarette dangling from the man's mouth.
" Huh? Oh, yeah, of course." Flustered, he dug into his pockets, found the pack, and pulled 3 out. Handing them and his lighter to Lucas, the man suddenly frowned as Lucas lite up and closed his eyes in pleasure. " I only wanted one, but thank you very much. I really appreciate it."
"No problem. Hey, are you old enough to be smoking, kid?"
Lucas squinted at him " I'm older than I look. " With that he nodded his thanks again and made his way back to his mother's porch to begin his waiting once again. But this time he had a comfort.
* * *