The usual applies; I don't own seaQuest, or any of the characters you
recognise. No money is being made, not infringement of copyright is
intended. Thanks to Kiddo, the Dominatrix, ASL, Sara, and any one else who
reviewed the last chapter.
Chapter 6.
Captain Bridger was having a bad day. The Secretary General had told him that while the science budget was not going to nose dive, neither was it going to increase. He was not looking forward to breaking this news to either Kristen or Lucas. Although telling Lucas about the lack of additional funding would probably be easier than continuing with their Talk.
Kristen was not going to be happy, but it was probably better to get it over with sooner rather than later.
Bridger was just about to grab a snack from the mess before going to tell her, when Kristen came bursting through the hatch.
"Why was I not informed of this trial programme?"
Bridger just stood there speechless.
"As the ship's doctor, don't you think you should have consulted me?"
"Kristen please sit down, and then tell me what it is your talking about." The Captain said, choosing not to mention that crewmembers shouldn't come barging into the captain quarters, even if they were in charge of the science personnel.
"I want to know why you didn't think it necessary to inform me about the new trial programme seaQuest is involved in." She stated, trying to control her temper.
"As far as I know, we aren't involved in any trials." Bridger responded wearily.
"Have you been in the mess today?"
"No, I didn't have time for breakfast, and I was just on my way to grab my dinner now."
Kristen smiled suddenly and said "Why don't I walk with you, we can discuss it over food."
"That sounds like a good idea." Came the cautious reply.
***** ***** *****
The Captain and the Doctor walked though the corridors of seaQuest chatting amicably. Suddenly the Captain stopped.
"Can you smell something strange?"
Kristen just smiled knowingly, and carried on towards the mess.
"I believe you will find that smell is re-hydrated sushi, mixed with boiled rice and cheese. The same..." she searched for a word that would do the meal justice, "...concoction was served for breakfast."
"Why?"
"That's what I was trying to ask you. The only information I can get off the computers, is that it is part of a trial programme put into effect by Admiral Trent."
"What's he trying to do kill us all?"
"You see why I thought the ship's doctor should have been consulted."
"I think the ship's Captain should have been consulted! I'm going to go and get to the bottom of this." And with that he stalked out of the mess and back to his quarters, all his appetite forgotten.
***** ***** *****
"Nathan I swear that the whole programme didn't even exists two days ago." Said Noyce from the other end of the vid - phone connection.
"It says on the computer that it's been in the planning for months!"
"I realise that, but I've never heard of it before today."
"So your saying it just appeared? What does Admiral Trent say about all this?"
Noyce looked distinctly uncomfortable. "That's what I don't understand, he had a heart attack about two months ago, he's been in the hospital ever since."
"So who authorise the programme?"
"Well, it was Admiral Trent's access codes that were used, and they're secure, no-one else has access to them. It just doesn't make any sense."
"Bill, someone must have found his codes somehow, how long will it be before they try to do something more serious?" Bridger ranted, angry that someone could mess around with his boat so easily.
"I'll have some of my security people to look into the whole thing, and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Nathan."
"Thanks Bill." Captain Bridger switched off the vid-screen and sat heavily on his bunk, making a mental note to talk about security with Ford the next time he saw his XO. Now that he had time to cool down and think, his stomach was eager to remind him he had been neglecting it.
'Now,' Bridger thought to himself, 'who would have real food on board.'
He smiled and said to the empty room, with a hint of satisfaction in his voice, "Krieg."
***** ***** *****
Once again the supply room was full, Ben, Tim and Miguel sat on the bunk, Crocker and Shan had cleared the top of two crates and were using them as make shift chairs, Lucas was sitting on the floor with his lap top, Ford had opted to remain standing.
"This food thing is not going to work."
"I just told what Dr. Washington said, it wasn't my idea to serve it to the whole crew" said Lucas looking pointedly at Ben.
"It's the only way to get Katie to eat it." Ben answered matter of fatly. "No-one would eat that if they had a choice."
"The crew is going to mutiny before the end of the week." Commented Miguel.
"We're luck we only need to stick to this particular food plan for rest the week, after that it's a lot more relaxed." Lucas flicked through a few screens on his laptop. "Are you sure every thing else sorted out?"
"Don't worry so much Lucas, I followed your instructions to the letter, I may not be a genius, but I can handle a bit of simple electronics."
"I know that Tim, I just don't want to face Katie if this bit goes wrong."
Crocker sat up straighter as a thought struck him. "Who's watching Commander Hitchcock now?"
"I asked Darwin to watch her." Lucas replied distractedly.
"What? You're intrusting the care of my wife and my child to a fish!" Shouted Ben leaping up from the bed and accidentally elbowing Miguel in the head.
"A dolphin's a mammal." Lucas corrected calmly, although any one watching his hands closely may have seen a tell tale tremor of fear when Ben shouted. Lucas crossed his arms to hide his hands, he hated the way his past crept up on him sometimes, even when he knew intellectually that Ben would never hurt him, instinct warned him not to take the chance, that he had been hurt too many times in the past to risk it again.
"Katie is perfectly safe with Darwin. He'll tell us if anything happens which we need to know about." Lucas continued.
They all jumped when someone knocked on the hatch to the supply room.
"Come in." Ben called after only a slight hesitation.
A moment later the Captain poked his head around the door and looked in surprise at seeing a good portion of his senior crew already there before he said,
"Don't tell me you're all trying to get your hands on real food as well?"
***** ***** *****
That's it for the moment, not exactly an enthralling chapter, but with any luck the next one should be posted some time next week, and that one should be a bit better. What do you think of the story so far, good, bad, or indifferent? Post a review and let me know. Any comments or suggestions are always welcome.
Caddie.
Chapter 6.
Captain Bridger was having a bad day. The Secretary General had told him that while the science budget was not going to nose dive, neither was it going to increase. He was not looking forward to breaking this news to either Kristen or Lucas. Although telling Lucas about the lack of additional funding would probably be easier than continuing with their Talk.
Kristen was not going to be happy, but it was probably better to get it over with sooner rather than later.
Bridger was just about to grab a snack from the mess before going to tell her, when Kristen came bursting through the hatch.
"Why was I not informed of this trial programme?"
Bridger just stood there speechless.
"As the ship's doctor, don't you think you should have consulted me?"
"Kristen please sit down, and then tell me what it is your talking about." The Captain said, choosing not to mention that crewmembers shouldn't come barging into the captain quarters, even if they were in charge of the science personnel.
"I want to know why you didn't think it necessary to inform me about the new trial programme seaQuest is involved in." She stated, trying to control her temper.
"As far as I know, we aren't involved in any trials." Bridger responded wearily.
"Have you been in the mess today?"
"No, I didn't have time for breakfast, and I was just on my way to grab my dinner now."
Kristen smiled suddenly and said "Why don't I walk with you, we can discuss it over food."
"That sounds like a good idea." Came the cautious reply.
***** ***** *****
The Captain and the Doctor walked though the corridors of seaQuest chatting amicably. Suddenly the Captain stopped.
"Can you smell something strange?"
Kristen just smiled knowingly, and carried on towards the mess.
"I believe you will find that smell is re-hydrated sushi, mixed with boiled rice and cheese. The same..." she searched for a word that would do the meal justice, "...concoction was served for breakfast."
"Why?"
"That's what I was trying to ask you. The only information I can get off the computers, is that it is part of a trial programme put into effect by Admiral Trent."
"What's he trying to do kill us all?"
"You see why I thought the ship's doctor should have been consulted."
"I think the ship's Captain should have been consulted! I'm going to go and get to the bottom of this." And with that he stalked out of the mess and back to his quarters, all his appetite forgotten.
***** ***** *****
"Nathan I swear that the whole programme didn't even exists two days ago." Said Noyce from the other end of the vid - phone connection.
"It says on the computer that it's been in the planning for months!"
"I realise that, but I've never heard of it before today."
"So your saying it just appeared? What does Admiral Trent say about all this?"
Noyce looked distinctly uncomfortable. "That's what I don't understand, he had a heart attack about two months ago, he's been in the hospital ever since."
"So who authorise the programme?"
"Well, it was Admiral Trent's access codes that were used, and they're secure, no-one else has access to them. It just doesn't make any sense."
"Bill, someone must have found his codes somehow, how long will it be before they try to do something more serious?" Bridger ranted, angry that someone could mess around with his boat so easily.
"I'll have some of my security people to look into the whole thing, and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Nathan."
"Thanks Bill." Captain Bridger switched off the vid-screen and sat heavily on his bunk, making a mental note to talk about security with Ford the next time he saw his XO. Now that he had time to cool down and think, his stomach was eager to remind him he had been neglecting it.
'Now,' Bridger thought to himself, 'who would have real food on board.'
He smiled and said to the empty room, with a hint of satisfaction in his voice, "Krieg."
***** ***** *****
Once again the supply room was full, Ben, Tim and Miguel sat on the bunk, Crocker and Shan had cleared the top of two crates and were using them as make shift chairs, Lucas was sitting on the floor with his lap top, Ford had opted to remain standing.
"This food thing is not going to work."
"I just told what Dr. Washington said, it wasn't my idea to serve it to the whole crew" said Lucas looking pointedly at Ben.
"It's the only way to get Katie to eat it." Ben answered matter of fatly. "No-one would eat that if they had a choice."
"The crew is going to mutiny before the end of the week." Commented Miguel.
"We're luck we only need to stick to this particular food plan for rest the week, after that it's a lot more relaxed." Lucas flicked through a few screens on his laptop. "Are you sure every thing else sorted out?"
"Don't worry so much Lucas, I followed your instructions to the letter, I may not be a genius, but I can handle a bit of simple electronics."
"I know that Tim, I just don't want to face Katie if this bit goes wrong."
Crocker sat up straighter as a thought struck him. "Who's watching Commander Hitchcock now?"
"I asked Darwin to watch her." Lucas replied distractedly.
"What? You're intrusting the care of my wife and my child to a fish!" Shouted Ben leaping up from the bed and accidentally elbowing Miguel in the head.
"A dolphin's a mammal." Lucas corrected calmly, although any one watching his hands closely may have seen a tell tale tremor of fear when Ben shouted. Lucas crossed his arms to hide his hands, he hated the way his past crept up on him sometimes, even when he knew intellectually that Ben would never hurt him, instinct warned him not to take the chance, that he had been hurt too many times in the past to risk it again.
"Katie is perfectly safe with Darwin. He'll tell us if anything happens which we need to know about." Lucas continued.
They all jumped when someone knocked on the hatch to the supply room.
"Come in." Ben called after only a slight hesitation.
A moment later the Captain poked his head around the door and looked in surprise at seeing a good portion of his senior crew already there before he said,
"Don't tell me you're all trying to get your hands on real food as well?"
***** ***** *****
That's it for the moment, not exactly an enthralling chapter, but with any luck the next one should be posted some time next week, and that one should be a bit better. What do you think of the story so far, good, bad, or indifferent? Post a review and let me know. Any comments or suggestions are always welcome.
Caddie.
