CHAPTER NINE:
Driftwood

PART ONE: Time Catches Up

February 7th, 2034
seaQuest DSV
first shift
Southern Pacific

Robert walked, out of uniform, to the seadeck. Kristin had let him in a little secret that the coral reef they were near was a spectacular dive. Deciding to take that advice, as it was before after his shift and he didn't feel like going to bed yet, he was heading there to join his father on the dive. He came in the doors where Nathan Bridger was checking his dive equipment and whistling. "Hey Dad," greeted Robert, the first time in weeks being borderline civil.

"Good morning, Robert," greeted the older Bridger. "Coming out with me or on a separate dive?"

Robert decided, "With you. Kristin would kill me if you went out alone."

"It's been months, I'm almost recovered again I think we can lay off being overprotective," while Nathan sounded annoyed, Robert could tell that his father was pleased by the attention.

"We do it because we love you," pointed out Robert.

Ignoring his answering grunt, Robert picked up his own SCUBA equipment and began to check it over. Soon they were both totally engrossed in the checking and testing of the various parts and tanks they would need for the dive.

After the checks were done, Nathan loaded his tanks onto his back and slid into the water of the moon pool. Darwin was beside him within seconds and seemed to be ready to go as well. Robert followed him into the water and when Nathan fitted his mouth piece into his mouth and put his goggles on, so did Robert. The funny part was that, even though he was the younger of the two, one in the water he was hard pressed to keep up with his father. Sensing the challenge Robert kicked his feet even harder and they raced to the forward dive tubes and just a few seconds faster than Nathan, Robert exited the seaQuest.

Finally they came to rest on the ocean floor and, giving his son a thumbs up, followed. They were in time to see the Baycourt move away and to the North. Nathan watched and said, "It's getting close to Wendy's due date, eh?"

Robert thought a moment, "Yeah, she's due next week sometime. Man, I still can't get over that. Oliver Hudson a Daddy."

"You and me both," answered Nathan.

An hour later they headed back and when Robert surfaced in the moon pool he saw Kristin Westphalen. Again, she didn't look pleased. 'The Glare' would have melted steel. Robert stood and took the mask and mouth piece off and the look softened, "Sorry, though you were your father."

"I'm glad I'm not," remarked Robert.

His father surfaced a few seconds later and took off his equipment. The side view of The Glare was scathing enough. Robert hung back for a moment and saw his father's reaction to being on the receiving end. "Hi Kris," he said. "Good morning."

"What the Hell do you think you're doing?"

"Going for a swim?" answered Nathan.

"I can see that," she stated. "I meant you are in no condition to."

Nathan looked at Robert and Robert left the seadeck, knowing that look and what it meant. After he was gone, Nathan turned back to Kristin and put his, rather wet, hands on her shoulders. "Kristin, I went with Robert. I've recovered enough to go on a dive! I know I scared you last year, and again this year. But you have got to let me live before I wake up and feel as old as I really am."

"You just turned seventy-two, Nathan."

"Yeah so? And I missed ten years! So technically I'm still only sixty-two," Nathan gestured to the seadeck. "If I was really all of those seventy two years do you think NorPac would let me stay here? And if they did, as the CSO?"

He didn't wait for her to answer, "Let me tell you their answer: No. I know that because they still have this silly idea that a person must retire at sixty five. That, I can tell you, is in the manual. Am I ready to retire, Kristin? Do you really believe it's time for me to leave the seaQuest and sit on my island? I don't think so."

She took a breath, "Okay, you've made your point." She smiled slightly. "I'm nearly at that mark myself but I don't think I'll be ready to retire either."

"Okay then, we know where we stand," he nodded and drew her into a wet hug, grinning as he realized it. "Now, do you think you can be... less overprotective?"

She pushed him back and then futilely tried to dry herself. "Yes."

Red light signifying General Quarters had been sounded began to flash and then Lieutenant Mara Johansen's voice cut through the chaos: "All hands, General Quarters."

Kristin looked around nervously and, although he wasn't in command, Bridger quickly slid out of the water. She held him back, "Forgetting something?"

"No, I think we should get to our quarters before they command a lock down."

She nodded and he shepherded her through the corridors of the ship to their shared quarters.

seaQuest DSV
Bridge

Commodore Robert Bridger didn't even have time to change. He was almost to his quarter's, hand his hand on the latch, when he was called to the bridge. Sensing the tension, he had left, running as the maglev was still down, to the bridge. He had not even stepped onto the bridge when he heard Ortiz call, "Sound General Quarters, launch countermeasures and brace for impact!"

The whine of the electromagnetic torpedo could be heard plainly and seconds after he was through the clam doors, Robert added, "Shut the clam doors."

The twin doors closed behind him, and he felt the telltale shudder as the countermeasures took the torpedo's impact. That was too close. He sat in the command chair, "What have we got, Commander Ortiz?"

"One Skipjack sub, bearing five degrees of the starboard bow," answered Ortiz as he slid into the sensors station. "And seven degrees above us."

That was the downside to a sub battle. They tended to be in a 3-D battle field. It was simpler on the surface. Not so many planes and angles to think about. "Identification?"

"Unknown, sir, they won't answer us," came Johansen's voice.

"Open a link anyway. I want them to hear me. At least then no one can say I didn't try."

"Aye sir, you're on all frequencies."

Robert spoke into the microphone of the headset he had been handed. "Attention unidentified submarine. Stand down or we will be forced to fire in retaliation. seaQuest out."

"No response."

He felt the first stirring of anger. What had that McShane woman said? A Skipjack sub with a taste for vengeance. And if there was one there was more because they showed signs of being a wolf pack. Very well. Two could play at this game. "Give me a secure channel to the Avenger."

A moment later, Captain Jonathan Devin Ford appeared on the screen, "Commodore."

"Captain, I need you to find a trench and hide in it until we pass over you. Then I want you to take out the unidentified aggressor. Commander Ortiz will send you the specs of the sub," Bridger looked over at Ortiz whose fingers flew over the keyboard. "Do you have them?"

"Yes sir, I do," answered Ford. "Avenger out."

His face was replaced by the view of the Skipjack sub on the screen. "Half reverse, back off slow, Helm."

"Half reverse, aye," came Tony Piccolo's answer.

The ship slowly moved back from the Skipjack and the other sub followed. The added space allowed for them to see the torpedo being fired before sensors actually picked up the motion. "Countermeasures!"

"Countermeasures in the water," answered Ortiz.

"What the Hell is this guy trying to prove?" muttered Robert. "Firing solution, Lieutenant."

A few moments later, he wasn't surprised to hear, "Sir, we've lost targeting."

Robert turned to face the Engineering where Lieutenant Commander Ron McGregor sat. "First maglev, now targeting. Mind illuminating the situation?"

The man only could shake his head, but Robert could also see the fingers that were typing in commands and rerouting, "The systems have been acting strange recently. There!"

"Acquiring firing solution..." Ortiz read out. "Firing solution obtained!"

"Fire."

The ship shuddered as the torpedoes left their bays, the electro-magnetic whine gaining a fever pitch as they homed in. The Skipjack's own countermeasures launched and it maneuvered, barely, out of the way. Robert's respect for its commander went up a notch. They had not avoided getting defenses which was more important than offense in his opinion. He didn't even want to guess at the armor.

"Keep us moving back," he ordered.

The seaQuest kept moving back and soon was over the trench where the Avenger was hidden. Soon the seaQuest was past the trench and the Skipjack was above it, and then the Skipjack had followed them over. As soon as it was the Avenger swept gracefully out of the trench behind the Skipjack sub. As if by magic, the Skipjack started to move towards the surface and above the seaQuest. "Counter her!" ordered Robert. "If she has depth charges we're in trouble."

The Avenger reacted quicker being the smaller of the two ships and followed the Skipjack up. Robert saw the Avenger fire, and this time the Skipjack didn't have time to counter. The seaQuest barely moved out of the way before the Skipjack settled on the ocean floor. "Take a launch and arrest the crew of that ship, Lieutenant Shan."

"Yes sir."

February 8th, 2034
seaQuest DSV
en route to Pearl Harbor

Robert paced his quarters, what Terry McShane had told him about Rafael Vargas going around and around in his head. This was too easy, he realized. There is no way he was on board that sub.

A knock on the hatch and then Shan entered and saluted, "Sir, the crew of the ship have quite the history."

He was handed the printout of the Skipjack's manifest. His eyebrows lifted, "All confirmed members of Varga's wolf pack terrorist group. Interesting. At least now we have confirmed who is gunning for us, but not why." He took a deep breath and released it, trying not to become upset by it. "When was the last time the seaQuest encountered Vargas?"

"I'm not sure, sir," answered Shan. "That was before my time. I can check Chief Crocker's old reports though."

Robert looked up at him, lost in thought momentarily, "That long ago?"

Shan nodded, "It would seem so."

Leaning over to the PAL unit on the wall, Robert hit a button, "Dad, could you come to my quarters for a minute?"

A moment later, "Yes. Be right there."

Robert motioned for Shan to take a seat in one of the available chairs while they waited for Nathan to walk from the seadeck to the captain's quarters. A moment later a curt knock sounded and Nathan let himself in. "Oh, a conference. Could have warned me."

"Dad, do you remember back on that first tour encountering a Rafael Vargas?"

"Not on a personal level, no," answered Nathan. "But we had to take out his 'second in command' during the SousMer incident. Why?"

Shan handed him the crew manifest of the rogue sub and Nathan read it over. A moment later he looked up, slightly spooked, "I was wondering when this was going to come back on me."

"Then you do remember?"

"Can't forget it. I was only ten days into my captaincy of the seaQuest when the SousMer incident went down. It was McShane who helped get us into SousMer to save all those people," answered Nathan. "I always had a sneaking suspicion that it was not the end of it. I just expected it sooner."

"Since you've encountered him before, albeit not personally, how does he work?" asked Shan with interest.

"Bloody. He held SousMer ransom for a hundred million in gold bullion, but, if we had not been there, he would have still blown it up even had he got the money. Commander Ford and Lieutenant Philips entered using the EVA suits and teamed up with Terry McShane. There was a shoot out and Mary Knox, Varga's second in command, was killed," Nathan's eyes had acquired a far off look as he remembered. "They managed to stop the takeover and save everyone. But Vargas... he would take that as a personal affront to him, and to his business. He would swear revenge. That is my theory on why they are after me now."

"Why you?" asked Robert.

"I was in command at the time. He would see that as me being personally responsible for Knox's death," answered Nathan. "But... he could also want the seaQuest destroyed because then he and his pack would rule the Pacific."

February 9th, 2034
El Muerto
Somewhere in the Pacific

Nathan Bridger was more right than he could ever know. But Vargas did not know and did not care that the retired captain had figured things out. It had taken sixteen years to finally amass enough firepower to finally challenge the seaQuest, and now he learned that it no longer sailed alone.

Rafael lay on his bunk on his own modified Skipjack and listened to the hum of the engines as it sliced through the water to find another port to hide in. The other ship was a bit of a surprise. More than that, it was a bit disturbing. He got up and walked to the small bridge and turned to his best friend and 'first mate' Ozawa and said, "Did you know about the vanguard?"

Brief puzzlement was his response, then it dawned on him, "You mean the seaQuest? No, I did not. I had heard something to that effect but I don't always credit what I'm told."

"While that trait is admirable, next time can you pass along that kind of information, rumor or not?" asked Rafael and was pleased with Ozawa's nod.

Ozawa motioned for him to follow him to the rear of the bridge, "Then I may as well let you in on another tidbit of info. Rumor has it that the new captain of the seaQuest is a man by the name of Commodore Robert Bridger."

"Any relation to the good captain?"

"Oh yeah. His son. The firstborn. I'd say killing Robert would be quite the blow to our quarry. Take him by pieces, then kill him," Ozawa made his fist close like a vise to punctuate his point. He did not need to as Vargas smiled, pleased at the very idea. "And our dear Commodore has a pretty wife and a ten year old son, Cynthia and Michael."

"Wonderful. Where can we find them?"

At this Ozawa seemed to deflate, "Unless you know where Bridger's island is, we're out of luck on that count."

Vargas frowned. Bridger's island had nearly ascended into myth as no one outside of those who had been there knew exactly where it was. Those who knew were all UEO personnel, those Vargas hunted anyway, or being hunted by the UEO and NorPac and unlikely to help him. He would never find it before the quarry on it were warned and put under protection too heavy for him to penetrate. No, he would have to find something else to draw Nathan Bridger out of his safe shell of the seaQuest DSV and out into the open where Rafael could kill him.

"Anyone else, Ozawa?"

"Well... there is his niece," Ozawa shifted his weight from foot to foot, a trait he exhibited when the target was too distasteful and he was against telling his friend.

"Yeah, and where is she?"

"Waikkiki on Oahu Island in Hawaii," answered Ozawa finally, but he still seemed uneasy.

"Out with it. Why shouldn't we go after her?"

"She's psychic," answered Ozawa finally.

"Is that all?"

"No... she's pregnant and due any day now."

"Due? You mean she's pregnant and about to drop a kid?" Rafael grinned and clapped the man on the shoulders. "Ozawa, she's perfect. That would draw them right into the open to save her."

"Uh, Raf, she's married to Captain Oliver Hudson, too..."

Crap. There would be something to even make him think twice. That made her Doctor Wendy Smith-Hudson, the daughter of Admiral Lexington Smith. Admiral Smith had dealt with Rafael a few times in the early years of Rafael's terrorist group. She was not a woman he dared cross.

In that sense he was reminded of Mary Knox... "We go after her anyway."

Ozawa's eyes grew huge, "No offense, Raf, but are you absolutely insane? Sexy Lexy finds out and we are dead. This is her daughter Wendy, remember?"

"Relax, Ozawa, we just don't get caught, and for the first time in our history, once we get what we want, we actually let her live," Rafael grinned. "She's perfect."

His friend was giving him the look that still suggested that he thought Rafael had lost his mind, but he said, "Okay, fine. So how are we going to snatch her?"

PART TWO: Wild Directions

February 10th, 2034
Waikkiki, Hawaii
6:00 pm

Wendy Hudson, nee Smith, waddled into her home. She would have like to have called it a walk, but despite all her friends saying she was still beautiful, in fact radiant, she felt like an oversized slug that could barely move.

Walking over the blinking light that indicated a waiting message she hit the button and watched the various vid messages. Oliver was coming home for shore leave in time for the due date. She silently thanked God for that. She had not really wanted to have the baby without him there.

Her mother asking her if she needed anything. A gun to shoot herself with? Birth control so she wouldn't go through this ever again? Maybe a vasectomy for him. She grinned at all those thoughts even as she was thankful to even be having the baby.

The final message was text only and as she read it her hand flew to her mouth in terror.

I'm in the house right now, Wendy. RV.

She backed out of the living room and into the tall frame of a man she knew was not Oliver. "You are a pretty thing," she was spun around and she faced a man of Hispanic descent. "Not at all what I expected."

"What do you want?" she demanded.

"You, of course. As bait. But we shouldn't talk here," he grinned, catlike, then herded her out of the house, his grip on her wrist.

She stopped dead in her tracks and resisted, trying to free her wrist, "I'm not going anywhere with you!"

He only gripped tighter and she gasped in the pain of his tightening grasp, "Oh, yes, you are."

Vargas practically dragged the woman out of the house and into the waiting car where an Asian man waited. "Drive, Ozawa. Evidently the husband is on his way here."

The car started to move and Wendy rolled down the window frantically but before she could scream for help, Vargas pulled her down and out of sight. A butterfly knife was pressed against her throat, "Move and I slit your throat. Then I cut the child that grows within you out and I will raise it myself."

Not even daring to swallow for fear of nicking herself, Wendy did as ordered.

Captain Oliver Hudson of the Baycourt was in a good mood and he whistled as he drove to his home. When he turned the last corner and saw the police tape surrounding his house and the police cars in his driveway, the mood sank. He pulled up to the curb and got out of his car and walked up to the tape, "Hey, what the Hell is going on?"

One of the police officers walked over to him and answered, "Rafael Vargas walked right into this home and kidnapped Mrs. Hudson for an unknown reason."

"I'm Mr. Hudson. When?"

"This evening at approximately six o'clock, sir," answered the officer.

Oliver took several deep breaths to retain control, "I want to talk to your commanding officer, Constable."

"Sir?"

"Now, Constable," Hudson used his most firm command tone, and was pleased as the police officer blanched and ran off to do exactly as asked.

A few moments later an older gentleman in civilian clothes like Hudson, walked up to him, "Are you Mr. Hudson?"

"Yes, I am. Captain Oliver Hudson, Commander of the NorPac Submarine Baycourt in the seaQuest DSV battle group," Hudson held out his hand and the other man shook it.

"That explains how you startled my constable into action. I'm Lieutenant Damien Worshire, I'm a detective for the Waikkiki City Police," said the detective. "We don't get to deal with the Navy very often. You have a tendency to take care of your own."

"We try," Hudson, put his hands on his hips, a gesture he often used when trying to figure out how to proceed. "What is the exact situation, Lieutenant?"

"A neighbor noticed a Hispanic man in his late fifties entering your home right after your wife did at approximately six o'clock this evening. He says she was practically dragged into a waiting car where an Asian man of indiscriminate age drove the car away after she was forced down and out of sight. We found the car near a beach and we're still looking for them," he answered reading out of his notebook.

Hudson hissed in frustration, then said, "You won't find them on land, Lieutenant. By now they are likely on a highly modified Skipjack class sub headed for neutral waters or some other place to hide."

"Thank you for the tip," Worshire voice was as frustrated. "But you won't mind if we look on land anyway?"

"I hope you do just in case Vargas does something unpredicted, and I wouldn't put it past him," Hudson crossed his arms and stared at the ground. "Why would he be interested in Wendy?"

"We were hoping you could shed light on that, sir," said Worshire.

"I only wish I could because that would give me a clue on how to proceed."

February 11th, 2034
El Muerto
early morning

Vargas watched her as she stared, unflinching, back. She was so much like Mary that his loins ached. As if Mary could be a mother, as if she could be a wife. The other difference was that this woman saved lives, not took them away. Snuffed them like barely flickering candle flames. "They will come for me, you know."

"I am counting on it, Hermita," he answered.

"Don't call me that. You've no right."

"Don't stress yourself, Mrs. Hudson, I wouldn't want to be responsible for your early labor," he grinned and then left the tray of food. "Eat."

He left the jury-rigged brig and went to the bridge. Ozawa asked, "She still being stubborn?"

"Not as bad. Now at least she will eat. I am not a complete monster," Rafael sat in the command chair of the El Muerto. "Has this attracted any attention at all?"

Ozawa frowned in disappointment from where he sat at the communications, "Not one peep. It's been twelve hours and they still haven't put it on the news."

"Which means they are not going to. Dammit, I should have expected a media blackout. This NorPac is more aggressive than the UEO. We will have to step our defense so that another ship does not take us out," Vargas frowned, then he suddenly smiled. "Unless we take over the satellite frequencies like we did last time. Tell Bridger that I want him."

Mulling it over, Ozawa said, "That would take some doing, but it can be done."

February 12th, 2034
seaQuest DSV
Nathan and Kristin's quarters

Nathan leaned back into the comfortable chair putting his feet up on the desk chair as he relaxed after his day. Remote in hand he turned on the vidscreen and flipped through the channels looking for something completely brainless to grab his attention. A knock on the door alerted him to company and he called, "It's open."

Lucas Bridger entered the quarters and pulled up another chair and they shared the desk chair for their feet. "Anything on?"

"Let's see," Nathan flipped through the channels again. "Jaws, LadyBugs, Two Came Back, and that show from the early nineties about a sub with a computer genius."

"Two Came Back was cool. The one with Melissa Joan Hart and Jonathan Brandis..." Lucas made a grab for the remote but it was totally unnecessary as Nathan left it on that very channel.

They were about half an hour into the made for TV movie from the late nineties about a young sailboat tours captain and his girlfriend and a bunch of friends when the channel became static. "What the Hell...?" muttered Nathan as he started to channel surf again only all the channels were static.

A familiar uneasy feeling swept over him as a distinct feeling of deja vu settled into the room. The feeling escalated when the familiar face of Rafael Vargas appeared on the screen. "Oh no, not again," moaned Lucas. "Isn't once enough? What resort he plant bombs in this time?"

Nathan shook his head, not understanding either. Then Wendy Smith-Hudson was dragged into view. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen... of the world. I have with me a special guest who will remain so until the retired Captain Nathan Bridger meets with me on my terms. If not I kill this woman and the child she is carrying. Captain Bridger, you have exactly one week from the time this message is broadcast to answer me."

"Lucas, can you trace this?" asked Nathan, his mouth dry.

"On it already," Lucas was sitting at the computer fingers flying over the keyboard.

Vargas continued. "To answer me, you will need to leave the safe shell you call the seaQuest and be on land. The accepted place will be on the southern tip of the Lanai Island, Hawaii. No back up in the way of SEALs or Marines. No one. Come alone. A trade, Captain. These two lives for your one. You make the choice."

With that the static returned and Lucas began to curse vehemently. The movie returned to the vidscreen and Lucas said, "All I needed was two more seconds and I would have had him!"

seaQuest DSV
wardroom

Robert looked over at his father who seemed drawn into himself. Dr. Kristin Westphalen suggested, "We could temporarily implant a locator."

"What if he decides to simply kill them both?" asked Robert.

Shan suggested, "There is no way he could have a shadow at all?"

A few minutes of silence were broken when Mara Johansen announced, "Sir, the Shadow Warrior is taking up a wing position off of the lower port and Colonel Yamamoto is requesting permission to board."

"Permission granted and relay that I want him in the wardroom the minute he boards. Warn him about the maglev problem, too," ordered Robert.

"Yes sir."

A few moments later, Colonel Jason Yamamoto joined them in the wardroom. "I saw the broadcast. What is with this crew and attracting this much activity? I swear I've never seen anything like it!" he exclaimed as he sat down in an empty chair.

Shan grinned, "We had a similar conversation a month back."

The atmosphere turned serious as Yamamoto leaned forward with his elbows on the table. "Have you come up with any ideas?"

"I thought I would put a locator implant in Nathan so we can trace him if we have to," she said. "Of course I would like there to be some people there to watch over him..."

Yamamoto stated, "I can arrange the SEALS if you can implant the locator." He turned to Captain Nathan Bridger, a man he had never met. A steely gaze answered, and he also noticed that this was another man he could not read. "That is if Captain Bridger acquiesces to the plan..."

"I like it," he said quietly. "I am just concerned about Wendy's safety. If this is discovered she and her child are dead."

Yamamoto sighed in frustration, "We will have to be very, very careful then. Doctor, can you implant that locator tonight?"

"Yes," she stood and after a moment, Nathan also stood.

They left the wardroom and Yamamoto turned to Shan, "I'll need you with me. We haven't much time so let's make sure we are careful..."

PART THREE: Building a Miracle

February 18th, 2034
Lanai Island
Hawaii

Nathan sat on the rock by the secluded beach. This was as South as he could get on the island without actually being in the water. The skin itched under his collarbone where Kristin had peeled back a layer of skin to implant the locator but he quelled the urge to scratch in case it would attract attention to it.

He sighed and waited. For moment he thought maybe Vargas was not going to come, but then he heard the rustling of the plants and Wendy Smith was pulled into view by Vargas. "Captain Bridger, a pleasure to finally meet you," purred Vargas.

"I wish I could say the same," responded Bridger. "I'm here and you have what you wanted. Let her go."

"In a moment," Vargas gestured and likely the same Asian man that had driven the car came into view and patted Bridger down in a cursory search. "He's clean," stated the man.

"Good to know you can be counted on to hold up to your end of the bargain, Captain," Vargas released Wendy and she ran up and behind Nathan, rubbing her wrist as she did so.

Wendy, run in a North Easterly direction. Help is there, he sent mentally.

Uncle Nathan, it's a trap. There's a sniper in the bushes to your four o'clock, she sent back. They have orders to shoot you as soon as I am out of sight.

He sighed and walked towards Vargas so that the man was between him and the sniper. Now get out of here, he ordered.

She did finally and Rafael smiled wickedly, "I have waited sixteen years to avenge Bloody Mary."

Rafael brought out a butterfly knife and Nathan knew that if he stepped back any the sniper would shoot him. If he stayed where he was, that knife would slice him open. Preferring the knife wound to the gunshot would, Nathan stayed put. Lord, he hoped Yamamoto knew what he was doing...

The shots began to rain down and Nathan dove for cover. The Asian man was not so lucky and he fell down hard indicating an instant kill. Vargas, Nathan saw, had taken cover behind a rock. Soon answering shots from Vargas's front began to chip away at the porous rock that Bridger was hiding behind, taking large chunks out of it. Vargas could see Nathan clearly, and Bridger could see Vargas. Rafael pulled out a handgun and aimed it at Bridger, "At least I take you with me!"

No time like the present, he sent to Yamamoto.

As if summoned out of the ground, Jason seemed to surface from the sand and grab the gun in Vargas's hand and they fought for it. For a moment, the lead rain let up... and Nathan took that very moment to rush Vargas as well to overpower him. Vargas fired and Nathan winced as the fiery pain ripped into his left arm, but he used his weight to help Jason bear him to the ground. The gun was wrested out of Vargas's hands and soon the bullets stopped flying as it ended.

Yamamoto cuffed Vargas and Nathan checked his arm where the bullet had grazed him. "Sir, you're bleeding," pointed out Jason.

"Flesh wound. Nothing serious," stated Nathan.

Wendy walked to them and looked at the wound, "It looks uglier than it really is."

Suddenly she bent double and Yamamoto and Nathan grabbed her to support her. "What is it?" he asked anxiously, then a wet puddle formed at her feet and she looked at him with wide eyes.

"I'm going into labor," she said in shock.

Yamamoto went as white as a piece of sheet paper, as did a few of the members of his team. Clearly, as good as they were on extracting hostages, none had ever had this kind of problem come up before. Nathan, however, did have experience delivering babies, he could count more than he had fingers. When Carol had gone into labor he had even had to deliver Robert in their car.

Not an experience he wanted to repeat, however.

"Where's the closest hospital?" asked Bridger in his best command tone and it seemed to snap the other men out of their mild panic.

"Not close enough," Wendy said in between pants.

"Okay, where is the launch?" demanded Nathan.

Yamamoto pointed down the beach. Nathan carefully picked up Wendy and carried her at a brisk jog to the old MR launch they still used. Yamamoto helped Nathan to transfer Wendy to a padded bench where they laid her down. Her jaw clenched as a contraction gripped her body. "How far are they apart?" asked Nathan as he used a cool cloth on her forehead.

"Not very far," she said when it subsided.

"Think you can make it to the seaQuest?"

"Maybe... if you have one very fast pilot," she said.

Nathan had counted the scant minute between contractions. "Lucas, get us to the seaQuest now!"

Lucas looked around the corner and instantly regretted it, snapping his attention back to the viewscreen and high pressure windscreen. The MR launch slid from the sand of the beach and was soon underwater. Lucas pushed the fragile engines to the maximum they would go and entered the launch bay of seaQuest. This took fifteen minutes.

For Nathan Bridger and Jason Yamamoto, however, those fifteen minutes were an eternity because Wendy's baby had decided not to wait. Contractions were practically on top of contraction, or at least it seemed that way to them, and likely Wendy. In between her terse instructions to Yamamoto, and the contractions, the baby girl was born in the launch just as Lucas piloted it into the launch sleeve on the seaQuest. Lucas announced, "We're in!"

And at the precise same moment the newly born girl came a lusty cry as it took its first breath of air. The hatch opened and Dr. Westphalen entered through the top, instantly at Nathan's side and she carefully cut the cord and wrapped the child in sterile cloths and handed her to Wendy. "It's a girl," said Nathan quietly.

2 hours later
seaQuest DSV

Robert leaned on the bulkhead across from his father outside of the medbay. Wendy and her new daughter were being checked out by Dr. Kristin Westphalen. A few minutes later she came back out with a broad smile on her face, "That is a real treat, fellas. You don't get that very often on a military sub."

"She's okay then? The daughter too?" asked Robert.

"They're perfect," answered Kristin. She turned to Nathan with approval. "Are you sure there isn't a medical degree in there somewhere?"

"Only paramedic first aid," answered Nathan. "I figured the upgrade would be good if I had any Search and Rescue Ops assigned to me. I guess it was a wise decision."

"I'd certainly say so," agreed Kristin. "So where is Oliver?"

Moments later Captain Hudson seemingly materialized, "Is she okay? This won't cause any problems with the pregnancy will it? None of your officers," he glared at Robert, "Will give me a straight answer."

Kristin smirked then turned to Nathan, "Ask him."

Hudson turned to face Bridger and noted the blood on his shirt, "What happened?"

"You have a healthy daughter now, Oliver," answered Nathan, grinning. "Congratulations."

Robert started to grin too as Hudson's facial expressions ran the gamut of shock, then as the realization of what Nathan had meant dawned, joy. "A daughter?" Hudson said quietly. "It's a little girl?"

"Wendy thought you might like to name her," said Kristin.

Hudson pointed to the medbay door, for the first time they had met him, at a complete loss for words. Kristin nodded and he entered the medbay. Oliver saw his sleeping wife and just to the side of her the makeshift crib for the sleeping baby. He walked over to the crib and moved aside the blankets to see the tiny thing. "Hey you," he said. "This is your Daddy speaking."

Looking around, he decided to pick up and hold the tiniest person he had ever seen. Cradling her in his arms he walked over to the side of the bed and sat down in the chair and leaned over and kissed his wife. "How different would I be had I never have met you?" he whispered quietly. "Sometimes I have these dreams where I captain the seaQuest. I am... a bitter man in those dreams, Wendy. I have what I want professionally but what have I sacrificed as a man? There is a life I never dreamed of and I would never give up. I love you, even though I rarely say the words. I look at you and I see my future. You are all I want. You and this little girl that will likely steal my heart more and more as the years go by. This little girl is better than any gift anyone has ever given me. Thank you."

He sat there a long time just holding his daughter and memorizing every single detail. Eventually he was aware that someone was standing there and he looked up to see Nathan Bridger standing there with a half smile on his face. "Pick a name yet?" he asked.

"Yeah. Vanessa Carol Alexandra Hudson," answered Hudson. "Wendy and I picked out the names when we were thinking of them. Carol after her Aunt, and Alexandra after her mother."

"Vanessa?"

"My mother," answered Hudson as he stood and laid his sleeping daughter in the crib again. He stood there looking at the crib. "I'm thinking of being a consultant again. Maybe this is enough."

"Who will command the Baycourt?"

"Captain Krieg," answered Hudson. "If he's up to it. Nathan, I'm glad it was you in that shuttle. I can't think of anyone else who would have done a better job."

"I'm glad I could help."