Thank you to Sara, Diena, Kiddo, the Dominatrix, Katie and every one else who reviewed chapter 8. Special thanks to those who gave me ideas for things to happen while the crew are on shore leave.

Guess what, I still don't own anything, or anybody, or make any money, or intentionally infringe any copyright. Maybe, if someone was feeling generous, they would call the plot (and any errors) mine, but I doubt that would stand up in court :o)

Chapter 9.

Nathan Bridger lay on his bed in his quarters after Kristen had left, and wondered if he was right in deciding that he should give Lucas and Juliana one more chance to tell their parents on their own. He and Kristen had eventually decided to wait until after the shore leave, and to see what happened in the mean time.

When the Captain fell asleep he dreamt of holding a little newborn baby named Nathan, after himself.

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The next day most of the senior crew were sitting in the wardroom waiting for the Captain to arrive. No one knew what the meeting was about, but they all had their own theories.

Everyone except Ben and Katie were wondering if the Captain had found out what was going on and how he would react. Ben was optimistic, as usual, and was trying to cheer everyone up. Katie was still not entirely sure if she was going insane, and was wondering if the Captain had noticed that she had been distracted for the last couple of days.

"Are you sure he didn't tell you what this meeting was about?" Miguel asked Ford for the third time since they had sat down.

"He just said to get every one into the ward room, and to set a course for Pearl Harbour." Ford repeated a little less patiently this time.

"Did he sound happy?"

"Actually, he sounded a bit stressed." Ford reluctantly admitted.

Lucas and Tim were exchanging worried looks across the table when the Captain and the Doctor arrived.

The Captain looked around at the worried faces of his crew, who were all now standing respectfully. It was often the case that one or two, generally the ones who had been involved in Krieg's latest scheme, looked a bit wary, but surely they weren't all involved in something. And Commander Hitchcock - she looked read to murder someone.

"OK everyone take a seat, I have good news and I have bad news." He glanced at the doctor, wondering if she had noticed the way Lucas had paled slightly at the mention of bad news.

"The good news is that you're all going to have a few days shore leave as of Saturday morning."

"What's the bad news, Captain." Asked Ford.

"The bad news, Commander, is that the doctor and I are going to be in meetings about funding etc. for most of the leave, so we need a volunteer to take the extra shifts."

"I'm sure we can work something out, Captain." Replied Ford smoothly, relieved the news was nothing to do with bending, he didn't want to think about how many, regulations in the last few days. He was by far happier juggling duty roster than squeezing through loopholes in regulations.

The Captain nodded and he and the doctor left.

"So, who's going to do it?" Asked Miguel.

"Katie took the extra shifts last time." Ben pointed out, deciding that it was a good idea for child to get out in the fresh air for once.

"OK, I did it the time before." Ford added.

"Hey, don't look at me, I'm a civilian." Lucas added when the attention of the crew turned in his direction.

"Krieg?" asked Ford.

"You want to leave a billion dollar boat in the hands of someone like him?" Katie asked, raising a delicately shaped eyebrow. "He'll have sold it in some back ally by the end of the day."

Crocker and then Shan gave their excuses, and the gazes of the rest of the crew turned to Tim O'Neill and Miguel Ortiz. With hardly a flicker of a glance towards each other they clenched their fists for the traditional Scissors, Paper, Stone. On the count of three they each made a shape with their right hands.

"Best two out of three?" asked Tim. Miguel just smiled.

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"Lucas, I need a favour..."

"What now, Ben?" It was a few hours after the meeting, and Ben was sitting on Lucas's bed while Lucas worked on a programme that he had promised the Captain he would have ready before the end of the week.

"I want you to go shopping with me."

"What is it this time, beef burgers, illegal vid - discs, holographic musicians...?"

"Toys." For the first time since he arrived Ben had the teens full attention.

"I realise I my regret asking this, but what sort of 'Toys'?"

"For the baby, you know... teddy bears, those little rattle things, and we'll need a pram, and one of things where they lie on their backs and pull the strings and things, and...."

"Don't you think it may be a good idea to wait until the baby's born, or at least until Katie tells you she's pregnant?" Lucas asked.

"What? Weren't you ever a boy scout, Lucas? We have to be prepared."

Lucas shook his head, but agreed to go shopping with him.

"Great, I'll ask Miguel and the others to come too, many heads are better than one, and all that, I'll make it up to you, buy you all a huge Dinner."

"Not me thanks, I'm meeting up with a friend."

Ben smiled slyly, "And which friend would that be, Lucas?"

"Just a friend."

"Do you want to borrow any cologne?"

"No, Ben, like I said, I'm just meeting a friend." And I bought my own cologne last time we hit port, he added silently.

"A friend named Juliana, by any chance?" Ben prodded.

Lucas sighed and turned in his chair. "Yes, Ben, I'm meeting Juliana. She's house sitting for her aunt, who lives near the UEO head quarters, and we're going to go out for dinner. Happy now?"

"Oh, that's so sweet, young love!" Ben teased.

"Yea, well, if I'm not there by seven she'll kill me, so you better not make me late."

"Who, me?" Ben said grinning innocently.

Lucas gave up on Ben, and turned back to his computer.

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"Remind me again, why we all agreed to go shopping with Ben?" Crocker asked the other men while they waited on the dock for Ben and Lucas to arrive - they were running late as usual.

"Because we're stupid." Shan suggested.

"Maybe, I should have volunteered to do Tim's shift on the bridge." Miguel said.

"It could be worse, you could be in Ford's shoes." Crocker said trying to look on the bright side.

"He did volunteer."

"But, only to stop Krieg following her around all day." Crocker added.

"I wouldn't be the one who had to rise her temper by spend the day stalking her." Shan agreed.

The three men turned when they saw two of the seaQuest crew making their way ashore. Their jaws almost hit the floor when they recognised Katie Hitchcock and Jonathan Ford chatting amicably and making their way towards them.

"Commander." Crocker greeted them. "Do you two have anything special planned for today?" He asked Ford.

"Not really Crocker, just going to do some site seeing." And with that the commanders left.

Miguel shook his head, "He's smooth, I'll grant him that."

"Who is?" Ben asked arriving behind them.

"Nobody." Crocker said quickly, the last thing they needed was a replay of the whole 'I'm going to kill Ford' scenario. "You two ready?"

"Ben and Lucas both nodded, and they set off towards the shops.

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"Do you have the funding quotas?"

"Yes Kristen."

"And the papers on the deep seeps?"

"Yes Kristen."

"What about the numbers the paleo-geologists gave us?"

"Yes Kristen."

"There's no need to be nervous, I'm sure they'll sustain our funding."

"Yes Kristen."

The doctor shot Nathan a reproachful look.

"I just want to make sure we're prepared for everything." She said, turning to look out the car window.

"I know Kristen, but everything will be fine, I promise."

"I'll keep you to that." She smiled.

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"Ben, you've already bought one of those!" Crocker complained when Ben picked up a mat with all different felt shapes attached to it.

"Yes but that one was supposed to 'improve hand eye co-ordination,' this one 'teaches babies the alphabet and fine motor control'."

"And besides, that one was blue, this one is red."

"Exactly." For once impervious to Lucas's sarcasm.

Miguel rolled his eyes. "We've been in this shop for hours, haven't you got enough yet?" he asked pointing to the over flowing shopping trolleys each man was pushing.

"This is the best baby supply shop for miles, and my baby deserves the best."

"Fine, but one more hour, and then we stop for Lunch." Miguel grumbled.

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Katie and Ford sat in the ice cream parlour finishing off giant banana splits.

"That was wonderful." Katie said leaning back in her chair. How did you ever find this place?"

"I was stationed here for a while, not long after I left the academy, I know all the best places." Ford said smiling. His plan to calm Katie's nerves was working out just as he planned. "What do you want to do next?"

"I'm going to get some shopping done, you?"

"I'll tag along, if you don't mind."

"Of course not."

They made their way along the busy street until Katie stopped outside a shop called 'Baby Boom'. It reminded Katie of Lieutenant Lewis, and she decided to buy the young officer a gift, ready for when the announcement was made.

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"I can't believe it." Kristen said, grinning madly. "They actually increased our funding!"

"How about we go out and celebrate over an early lunch?"

"That would be wonderful Nathan."

"I know just the place, I just have to make one stop on the way."

"Oh, where's that?"

"There's a shop I remember passing a while ago, which sells all baby things, I thought I'd get a present for Lucas's baby."

To be continued...

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Well, I'm going to leave it there for now, hope your enjoying it so far, the rest of the shore leave will probably be covered in Chapter 10, which should be written quite soon. If you feel inclined, reviews are always welcome ;o)