Author's Note: Kay. Another reminder, definite alternate universe here. More nasty Lucas and a rather nasty General Thomas. I know he wasn't this bad in the show, but I never liked him, I always thought he was a scum bag, and this is my fiction, so HA! Anyway, I'm also not entirely sure if he is as high up or higher than Noyce, but if someone knows, PUL-EASE let me know so I can fix the story and possibly change the next part which isn't up yet, and won't be til I get some feedback. People still liking it? Or hating it? Let me know. Thanks. R&R.
P.S. Thanks to Nevermore for Beta Reading and helping me with adding to the dramatics in the Lucas/Matthew "flashback". Phrases/sentences in there belong to Nevermore.
Chapter 5
By: Jaimi
Lucas had apologized to the Doctor, who easily accepted. She then got him working on her latest experiment, which kept the boy occupied and in fairer spirits, though it was obvious he was exhausted.
"Lucas, why don't you take a break and get something to eat?"
Lucas shook his head slightly, intent on the algae under the lens of his microscope. "Not hungry," he mumbled, before turning to type something up on the computer at his side.
Kristen sighed, knowing better than to push him, especially after a day like yesterday.
"Alright, but will you come with me at lunch time? Please?" Lucas sighed, knowing she would keep after him until he did.
"Fine."
"Thank you."
Lucas glanced up at her pleased face. "You're welcome," he answered, offering a shy smile.
Kristen smiled happily at the boy's polite and honest response.
They worked quietly, but productively, for the rest of the morning, and Lucas, true to his word, went with her to lunch.
He did give some form of apology to the senior staff as he saw them individually during the day, and he felt better for it as they all easily forgave him. And life went on as normal... or as normal as a military/science sub harbouring a teenage smart-ass genius could be.
************************************************************************
A month later, however, things went bad again. It was June 12, 2018. The anniversary of an event that, had it not been for the earlier tragedy with the fire, would have been the worst catastrophe in Lucas' life. He had been only 4 years old, and had watched his 8-year-old brother plummet 10 stories to a very sudden death.
The boys had been playing on the balcony of their father's office building when Matthew had decided he wanted to sit on the edge. Lucas had been wary, not wanting to get in more trouble. His ribs were still mending.
When his brother had slipped, Lucas had grabbed desperately for him. He would never forget his tiny hands trying to hold the hands of a brother that was twice as old, and far too large to be supported by one so young. He held on as long as he could, screaming for help. By the time the help had arrived, it was too late. Lucas would always recall the look of utter surprise and terror in his beloved brother's face, as Matthew broke free from the desperate grasp of his brother and felt gravity pull him to certain doom.
After that, Lucas didn't go a day without being hit, punched or kicked. His father was relatively smart, not hitting him anywhere it would show, but he slipped up a few times when he was drunk, but he blamed the doorknob or the staircase… the staircase.
One form of torture his father took to was making Lucas realize what he had done. In a drunken rage, on two occasions he did this. Once on the anniversary of his sister's death, his father had lit the pool house on fire, and thrown Lucas into a closet. Lucas screamed only once, as a burning ember landed on his soft skin. That scream had been enough to send the butler running... straight into the pool house to drag the trembling 5-year-old out.
No one ever knew the cause of the fire...or at least, no one dared to investigate. His father was a powerful man.
The other occasion, of course, happened on the anniversary of his brother's death. His father had dragged him out of his room and held him by the throat over the railing of the top floor in their new house. Lucas had squirmed until his vision started to dot. Then his father had lifted him back over. The boy was relieved for but a moment before his father threw him down the tall staircase, wrecking the boy's knee. His knee still bothered him sometimes, though he hid it well, and the scar from the single ember still showed against the pale white skin under the shirt on his right shoulder.
Lucas shuddered; then there were the other hidden, or medically removed, blemishes from the years of constant cruelty and abuse. The seaQuest had gone from being the place that proved how his parents never wanted him, to his safe haven, that kept the fists and bats at bay.
************************************************************************
The crew were wary, as Lucas was in another one of his moods. Even more unfortunately, they were docked at Pearl Harbour, getting some much-needed supplies.
The Secretary General was there, and the crew were desperate to keep the foul humoured teen away from the man that had more power than Dr. Wolenczak and could easily have the boy removed. Despite the boy's mood swings and unpredictable nature, the thought of him leaving the seaQuest upset the senior staff; he'd grown on them.
"Lucas, stay close," Bridger admonished, looking around for Admiral Noyce as they entered UEO headquarters, hoping to run into him before General Thomas.
"I'm not a child, you don't need to hold my hand," Lucas snapped back.
"Don't tempt me Kiddo, and today is not a good day for one of your moods."
Lucas glowered at the Captain, "Go to hell."
Bridger spun around to face the teen. "That's enough," he hissed. "I've had it with your attitude, pal."
"Then send me away. I don't care."
If Bridger hadn't seen the slight glimmer of fear in the boy's eyes, he would have believed the careless tone.
"Yes you do, and no, I won't."
"Why the hell not? I'm just a nuisance, I-"
"Stop it," Bridger cried, exasperated. "You are NOT a nuisance, you are not worthless. I don't know where you get your outrageous ideas, but you're dead wrong on all of them."
Lucas rolled his eyes, afraid to believe him. He turned away, running into a man surrounded by security, who grabbed his arms. He roughly yanked his arms, trying to get away.
"Get your hands off me!"
"Who the hell is this? And what is he doing here?" The man bellowed.
Nathan paled. Not good.
"General Thomas, he's with me."
"Bridger. What are you doing with this obnoxious nuisance? Where did he come from?"
Lucas stared smugly at the Captain, who bristled at the general's comments.
"He's not a nuisance Sir, and his father had him placed aboard the seaQuest. He's quite an asset to our ship's computer systems."
"Oh please, Captain. He looks not more than 15 years old."
"You're observant," Lucas snapped.
The man glared at the rude teenager, who struggled against a large guard's hold.
"Mind your tongue, boy."
"Drop dead, asshole."
No one was prepared for the boy's reaction as the general slapped the youth hard across the face. Bridger seethed in anger, moving to go to the youth, but suddenly all hell broke loose as the teen frantically began struggling and cursing. The five security men made to hold the surprisingly strong 15 year old, while another group held the angered SeaQuest crew at bay. To the many security, the out of control teen was a possible threat to the Secretary General. They took no risks.
************************************************************************
Lucas reeled in shock as the large hand struck him. He had not been hit in several months. He knew he shouldn't have gotten used to the luxury, it affected him ten fold. He struggled against the security's hold. His whole body screamed for him to get away. He was in a nearly uncontrollable panic, as they wrestled him down and held him pinned to the floor. All he could hear was his father's curses. All he could feel were his fists pounding into him.
His eyes were shut tight as he pulled, squirmed and kicked. People were shouting, someone was yelling his name. He was angry. At him? He struggled harder. Sweat poured off him. He continued to struggle, listening to no one, registering nothing but the harsh memories of his past.
Chapter 6 coming soon...hopefully...
Jaimi Copyright@2001
P.S. Thanks to Nevermore for Beta Reading and helping me with adding to the dramatics in the Lucas/Matthew "flashback". Phrases/sentences in there belong to Nevermore.
Chapter 5
By: Jaimi
Lucas had apologized to the Doctor, who easily accepted. She then got him working on her latest experiment, which kept the boy occupied and in fairer spirits, though it was obvious he was exhausted.
"Lucas, why don't you take a break and get something to eat?"
Lucas shook his head slightly, intent on the algae under the lens of his microscope. "Not hungry," he mumbled, before turning to type something up on the computer at his side.
Kristen sighed, knowing better than to push him, especially after a day like yesterday.
"Alright, but will you come with me at lunch time? Please?" Lucas sighed, knowing she would keep after him until he did.
"Fine."
"Thank you."
Lucas glanced up at her pleased face. "You're welcome," he answered, offering a shy smile.
Kristen smiled happily at the boy's polite and honest response.
They worked quietly, but productively, for the rest of the morning, and Lucas, true to his word, went with her to lunch.
He did give some form of apology to the senior staff as he saw them individually during the day, and he felt better for it as they all easily forgave him. And life went on as normal... or as normal as a military/science sub harbouring a teenage smart-ass genius could be.
************************************************************************
A month later, however, things went bad again. It was June 12, 2018. The anniversary of an event that, had it not been for the earlier tragedy with the fire, would have been the worst catastrophe in Lucas' life. He had been only 4 years old, and had watched his 8-year-old brother plummet 10 stories to a very sudden death.
The boys had been playing on the balcony of their father's office building when Matthew had decided he wanted to sit on the edge. Lucas had been wary, not wanting to get in more trouble. His ribs were still mending.
When his brother had slipped, Lucas had grabbed desperately for him. He would never forget his tiny hands trying to hold the hands of a brother that was twice as old, and far too large to be supported by one so young. He held on as long as he could, screaming for help. By the time the help had arrived, it was too late. Lucas would always recall the look of utter surprise and terror in his beloved brother's face, as Matthew broke free from the desperate grasp of his brother and felt gravity pull him to certain doom.
After that, Lucas didn't go a day without being hit, punched or kicked. His father was relatively smart, not hitting him anywhere it would show, but he slipped up a few times when he was drunk, but he blamed the doorknob or the staircase… the staircase.
One form of torture his father took to was making Lucas realize what he had done. In a drunken rage, on two occasions he did this. Once on the anniversary of his sister's death, his father had lit the pool house on fire, and thrown Lucas into a closet. Lucas screamed only once, as a burning ember landed on his soft skin. That scream had been enough to send the butler running... straight into the pool house to drag the trembling 5-year-old out.
No one ever knew the cause of the fire...or at least, no one dared to investigate. His father was a powerful man.
The other occasion, of course, happened on the anniversary of his brother's death. His father had dragged him out of his room and held him by the throat over the railing of the top floor in their new house. Lucas had squirmed until his vision started to dot. Then his father had lifted him back over. The boy was relieved for but a moment before his father threw him down the tall staircase, wrecking the boy's knee. His knee still bothered him sometimes, though he hid it well, and the scar from the single ember still showed against the pale white skin under the shirt on his right shoulder.
Lucas shuddered; then there were the other hidden, or medically removed, blemishes from the years of constant cruelty and abuse. The seaQuest had gone from being the place that proved how his parents never wanted him, to his safe haven, that kept the fists and bats at bay.
************************************************************************
The crew were wary, as Lucas was in another one of his moods. Even more unfortunately, they were docked at Pearl Harbour, getting some much-needed supplies.
The Secretary General was there, and the crew were desperate to keep the foul humoured teen away from the man that had more power than Dr. Wolenczak and could easily have the boy removed. Despite the boy's mood swings and unpredictable nature, the thought of him leaving the seaQuest upset the senior staff; he'd grown on them.
"Lucas, stay close," Bridger admonished, looking around for Admiral Noyce as they entered UEO headquarters, hoping to run into him before General Thomas.
"I'm not a child, you don't need to hold my hand," Lucas snapped back.
"Don't tempt me Kiddo, and today is not a good day for one of your moods."
Lucas glowered at the Captain, "Go to hell."
Bridger spun around to face the teen. "That's enough," he hissed. "I've had it with your attitude, pal."
"Then send me away. I don't care."
If Bridger hadn't seen the slight glimmer of fear in the boy's eyes, he would have believed the careless tone.
"Yes you do, and no, I won't."
"Why the hell not? I'm just a nuisance, I-"
"Stop it," Bridger cried, exasperated. "You are NOT a nuisance, you are not worthless. I don't know where you get your outrageous ideas, but you're dead wrong on all of them."
Lucas rolled his eyes, afraid to believe him. He turned away, running into a man surrounded by security, who grabbed his arms. He roughly yanked his arms, trying to get away.
"Get your hands off me!"
"Who the hell is this? And what is he doing here?" The man bellowed.
Nathan paled. Not good.
"General Thomas, he's with me."
"Bridger. What are you doing with this obnoxious nuisance? Where did he come from?"
Lucas stared smugly at the Captain, who bristled at the general's comments.
"He's not a nuisance Sir, and his father had him placed aboard the seaQuest. He's quite an asset to our ship's computer systems."
"Oh please, Captain. He looks not more than 15 years old."
"You're observant," Lucas snapped.
The man glared at the rude teenager, who struggled against a large guard's hold.
"Mind your tongue, boy."
"Drop dead, asshole."
No one was prepared for the boy's reaction as the general slapped the youth hard across the face. Bridger seethed in anger, moving to go to the youth, but suddenly all hell broke loose as the teen frantically began struggling and cursing. The five security men made to hold the surprisingly strong 15 year old, while another group held the angered SeaQuest crew at bay. To the many security, the out of control teen was a possible threat to the Secretary General. They took no risks.
************************************************************************
Lucas reeled in shock as the large hand struck him. He had not been hit in several months. He knew he shouldn't have gotten used to the luxury, it affected him ten fold. He struggled against the security's hold. His whole body screamed for him to get away. He was in a nearly uncontrollable panic, as they wrestled him down and held him pinned to the floor. All he could hear was his father's curses. All he could feel were his fists pounding into him.
His eyes were shut tight as he pulled, squirmed and kicked. People were shouting, someone was yelling his name. He was angry. At him? He struggled harder. Sweat poured off him. He continued to struggle, listening to no one, registering nothing but the harsh memories of his past.
Chapter 6 coming soon...hopefully...
Jaimi Copyright@2001