Chapter 34
"On screen, Mr. O'Neill," Hudson ordered as he made his way through the bridge room. The large screen flickered briefly before firing to life.
"Captain," Admiral Noyce nodded grimly, "a ... situation has developed."
Hudson frowned. "What's happened?"
"When our officers went in to arrest the Marconesian president, he and a few of his lieutenants escaped. They're currently holding several of our men hostage."
"While that's serious and unfortunate, Admiral, I don't see how that rates as a level seven alert." Hudson frowned.
"There's more, Oliver," Noyce sighed. "He's telling us that he has several nuclear warheads targeted on strategic locations around the globe. He wants all charges dropped or he'll detonate."
"Wonderful," Hudson muttered darkly. "So who's negotiating?"
Admiral Noyce took a deep breath. "You."
"What?! Admiral, I don't have-"
"He's requested you only, Oliver," the Admiral interrupted. "Either you go in, or there's no deal. I'm sorry to put you in this position, but there's no other way. You know the UEO's position in hostage negotiations. Use whatever force is necessary to bring him down."
Hudson grimaced as the screen went blank. "Commander Ford, you'll be in charge. Mr. Ortiz I want WSKRs on full alert. If there's anything out there, I want to know about it. Lieutenant Henderson, prepare a launch, please."
"Why you?" Lex asked.
"I'm assuming it's because we've had the pleasure of meeting before and he wants to continue our conversation."
"I'm coming with you," Lex said as she began to follow him out of the bridge room.
"No."
"You can't go in there alone!"
"I don't recall Noyce saying 'you and a party', Lex." Hudson stopped in his tracks, turning to look at her.
"Dammit, Dad! You're not a fool! You know he's setting you up."
"This is a military matter!"
"Really? So that's the way it's going to go?" Lex crossed her arms in a manner mirroring her father. "Well, fine. With the team, I have a higher security clearance than you."
"Alexandria," Hudson sighed, "you're staying here, end of discussion."
"I'm not," Lucas replied from behind Lex.
"Me either," Ford shrugged.
"I'm coming too!" Brody chimed in.
"Alright, this is getting ridiculous." Hudson glared.
"No offense, Captain, but if he's booby trapped the controls for the war heads, or any of the corridors in the station, you're gonna need me." Lucas regarded him steadily.
"And you're going to need us," Ford said, indicating Brody and himself. "He's got his muscle after all."
"And who's going to command the boat?" Hudson's brow rose.
"Commander Hitchcock is more than capable, sir." Ford planted his hands on his hips.
"The illusion of command is fleeting," Hudson muttered as he turned and headed for the launch bay. He spun around when Lex attempted to follow once again. "Lex, please. For my peace of mind, stay here."
Seeing the silent plea in his eyes, Lex sighed heavily before nodding. Hudson leaned forward and kissed her brow and then headed to the launch bay.
As Lucas passed her, he paused at her side. "We'll be fine," he said, rubbing a hand up and down her back. And then he joined the others.
Lex watched them go, fighting a sick feeling deep in the pit of her stomach. Thing's wouldn't be fine.
Too restless to stay in one place, Lex roamed about the boat, finally ending up in the mess hall. Sean and Reuban sat at a table deep in conversation, stopping abruptly when Lex come up to their table.
"Am I interrupting something?" she asked, on brow arched.
"No," Reuban replied a little too quickly. Lex stared at him.
"Why don't you join us?" Sean motioned to an empty chair.
Lex looked a moment longer at both men. Knowing they would not divulge the topic of their conversation, she sat. "Where's Dorion?"
"Sulking." Reuban grinned wickedly.
Lex returned the grin. "What for this time?"
Reuban shrugged. "The usual. He didn't get his way."
"You both should show him more respect considering his age," Sean replied, sipping his tea.
"He's had a thousand years to perfect three traits. Arrogance, petulance and moodiness. He makes it very hard to take him seriously sometimes." Lex shook her head.
"He's spent all that time in the dark, watching the world slowly die around him. I think he's earned the right to display those characteristics."
Upon reflection, Lex had to agree. Reluctantly.
Sean took another sip of his tea. "I heard about what happened in the lab earlier."
Lex sighed in annoyance. "Good news travels fast. Dorion was spying on me again?"
"He's always been protective of you. Why does that surprise you?" Sean watched her with steady eyes.
"I just wish he would get a new hobby."
Sean chuckled. "So, how is it going with your father?"
Lex rested her chin on her hand. "We're starting over, trying to put the past behind us."
"That's good," Sean nodded. "I imagine you'll want some leave to renew your relationship."
Lex's eyes dropped to the tabletop. In truth, she did want to spend more time on SeaQuest, rebuilding a bond with her father, and strengthening the one with Lucas. But a prevailing sense of guilt caused her to procrastinate in asking for time off.
As if reading her mind, Sean put down his cup and leaned forward. "Alexandria, you've been a valuable member of the team for several years, but the time has come for that chapter in your life to close, and for you to move on. We all know you've been waiting for this opportunity all of your life, and you'd be a fool to pass it up."
"But what about the team?"
Sean smiled kindly. "We managed before you, we can again. Stay with your father, and your young man, and begin the next phase fo your life."
"Just don't forget to write every now and then," Reuban replied with a smile. Lex could only laugh through her tears of gratitude.
"Lex?"
Lex turned to find Bridger standing in the doorway. "They've started to get transmissions from the negotiating team. I thought you might like to join me on the bridge."
Sending Sean and Reuban a look of gratefulness, Lex rose and followed Bridger to the MagLev.
"On screen, Mr. O'Neill," Hudson ordered as he made his way through the bridge room. The large screen flickered briefly before firing to life.
"Captain," Admiral Noyce nodded grimly, "a ... situation has developed."
Hudson frowned. "What's happened?"
"When our officers went in to arrest the Marconesian president, he and a few of his lieutenants escaped. They're currently holding several of our men hostage."
"While that's serious and unfortunate, Admiral, I don't see how that rates as a level seven alert." Hudson frowned.
"There's more, Oliver," Noyce sighed. "He's telling us that he has several nuclear warheads targeted on strategic locations around the globe. He wants all charges dropped or he'll detonate."
"Wonderful," Hudson muttered darkly. "So who's negotiating?"
Admiral Noyce took a deep breath. "You."
"What?! Admiral, I don't have-"
"He's requested you only, Oliver," the Admiral interrupted. "Either you go in, or there's no deal. I'm sorry to put you in this position, but there's no other way. You know the UEO's position in hostage negotiations. Use whatever force is necessary to bring him down."
Hudson grimaced as the screen went blank. "Commander Ford, you'll be in charge. Mr. Ortiz I want WSKRs on full alert. If there's anything out there, I want to know about it. Lieutenant Henderson, prepare a launch, please."
"Why you?" Lex asked.
"I'm assuming it's because we've had the pleasure of meeting before and he wants to continue our conversation."
"I'm coming with you," Lex said as she began to follow him out of the bridge room.
"No."
"You can't go in there alone!"
"I don't recall Noyce saying 'you and a party', Lex." Hudson stopped in his tracks, turning to look at her.
"Dammit, Dad! You're not a fool! You know he's setting you up."
"This is a military matter!"
"Really? So that's the way it's going to go?" Lex crossed her arms in a manner mirroring her father. "Well, fine. With the team, I have a higher security clearance than you."
"Alexandria," Hudson sighed, "you're staying here, end of discussion."
"I'm not," Lucas replied from behind Lex.
"Me either," Ford shrugged.
"I'm coming too!" Brody chimed in.
"Alright, this is getting ridiculous." Hudson glared.
"No offense, Captain, but if he's booby trapped the controls for the war heads, or any of the corridors in the station, you're gonna need me." Lucas regarded him steadily.
"And you're going to need us," Ford said, indicating Brody and himself. "He's got his muscle after all."
"And who's going to command the boat?" Hudson's brow rose.
"Commander Hitchcock is more than capable, sir." Ford planted his hands on his hips.
"The illusion of command is fleeting," Hudson muttered as he turned and headed for the launch bay. He spun around when Lex attempted to follow once again. "Lex, please. For my peace of mind, stay here."
Seeing the silent plea in his eyes, Lex sighed heavily before nodding. Hudson leaned forward and kissed her brow and then headed to the launch bay.
As Lucas passed her, he paused at her side. "We'll be fine," he said, rubbing a hand up and down her back. And then he joined the others.
Lex watched them go, fighting a sick feeling deep in the pit of her stomach. Thing's wouldn't be fine.
Too restless to stay in one place, Lex roamed about the boat, finally ending up in the mess hall. Sean and Reuban sat at a table deep in conversation, stopping abruptly when Lex come up to their table.
"Am I interrupting something?" she asked, on brow arched.
"No," Reuban replied a little too quickly. Lex stared at him.
"Why don't you join us?" Sean motioned to an empty chair.
Lex looked a moment longer at both men. Knowing they would not divulge the topic of their conversation, she sat. "Where's Dorion?"
"Sulking." Reuban grinned wickedly.
Lex returned the grin. "What for this time?"
Reuban shrugged. "The usual. He didn't get his way."
"You both should show him more respect considering his age," Sean replied, sipping his tea.
"He's had a thousand years to perfect three traits. Arrogance, petulance and moodiness. He makes it very hard to take him seriously sometimes." Lex shook her head.
"He's spent all that time in the dark, watching the world slowly die around him. I think he's earned the right to display those characteristics."
Upon reflection, Lex had to agree. Reluctantly.
Sean took another sip of his tea. "I heard about what happened in the lab earlier."
Lex sighed in annoyance. "Good news travels fast. Dorion was spying on me again?"
"He's always been protective of you. Why does that surprise you?" Sean watched her with steady eyes.
"I just wish he would get a new hobby."
Sean chuckled. "So, how is it going with your father?"
Lex rested her chin on her hand. "We're starting over, trying to put the past behind us."
"That's good," Sean nodded. "I imagine you'll want some leave to renew your relationship."
Lex's eyes dropped to the tabletop. In truth, she did want to spend more time on SeaQuest, rebuilding a bond with her father, and strengthening the one with Lucas. But a prevailing sense of guilt caused her to procrastinate in asking for time off.
As if reading her mind, Sean put down his cup and leaned forward. "Alexandria, you've been a valuable member of the team for several years, but the time has come for that chapter in your life to close, and for you to move on. We all know you've been waiting for this opportunity all of your life, and you'd be a fool to pass it up."
"But what about the team?"
Sean smiled kindly. "We managed before you, we can again. Stay with your father, and your young man, and begin the next phase fo your life."
"Just don't forget to write every now and then," Reuban replied with a smile. Lex could only laugh through her tears of gratitude.
"Lex?"
Lex turned to find Bridger standing in the doorway. "They've started to get transmissions from the negotiating team. I thought you might like to join me on the bridge."
Sending Sean and Reuban a look of gratefulness, Lex rose and followed Bridger to the MagLev.