FROM DOVER TO PLYMOUTH, AND BACK
Chapter 6
By Kiddo
~*~ In Loving Memory Of Jonathan Brandis ~*~
~**Don't fix a broken heart. Who really wants to forget? (Joseph
Fiennes)**~
~**~
As the rainbow faded,
The Albatross came
And he carried me with gentle wing strokes
Far away over the seven oceans.
He carefully put me at the edge of the light.
I went inside and felt safe.
I haven't left you.
I'm just a few steps ahead.
~**~
Disclaimer:
I don't have any rights to "seaQuest DSV" or "seaQuest 2032" and I am not making any money with this story.
A big Thank You goes to my wonderfull beta-reader Jackie and KatKnits00, Sam, Kas, Mar and Reader for their wonderfull Reviews.
@Reader: You are right about the things you have said. This are history mistakes in my story. I have a note about this in the last chapter of the storie. But this story is not a history book it's just a silly fanfiction out of my crazy mind.
Feedback and reviews are still the only thing I get for writing. So please review.
***************************************************************************
After Captain Bridger told his crew what Lucas had told him, they were all silent for a moment. Benjamin Krieg was the first to speak. He was a practical, thinking man and said, "Captain, I think the easiest thing would be to make the little cabin next to yours empty. There is a bed inside the cabin and if we take enough things out, there should be enough space for him."
Bridger nodded, then he looked at Crocker and Krieg. "Can you two take care of this?" Both men nodded affirmatively. The captain thought a little bit, then he turned again to his crew. "Because of the fact that Lucas will be with us for the next part of the voyage, we have to decide what he will do on the seaQuest. Any ideas?"
"I think we should teach him the basics of sailing first. After that, he could give us a hand with working the ship," said Jonathan Ford.
"I can always use help in the galley," said Krieg, the cook.
Kristin could only shake her head at the others. "First of all, the boy has to become healthy again. He is still very exhausted, and we shouldn't overtax him. Plus, he needs to become familiar with us. We are all strangers to him."
"She is right," said the Captain. "I got the impression that he was afraid. I don't think he's very quick to trust other people."
"I also believe that's true. Perhaps we could first teach him how to read. Maybe that could be a way to get him to relax and trust us," said Kristin.
Bridger nodded. "That sounds like a good idea."
Katherine Hitchcock had been silent until now and had only listened to the others. "I know Lucas."
The others looked surprised at her.
"What? Where do you know him from? Why didn't you say anything before?" Bridger wanted to know.
"When I first saw him he looked familiar to me, but I couldn't put a name to his face and I couldn't remember where I had seen him before. But when you told us his name and said more about him, I suddenly recognized him; I knew exactly who he is."
"Please, tell us what you know."
Katherine nodded. "Yes Sir. I knew Lucas' mother, Cynthia. We lived not far away from each other. When I met her the first time, her last name was Miller. Later she fell in love with a sailor, Andrew Holt. They married and were very happy together.
Two years later, Cynthia was pregnant. They looked forward to their first child. But before Lucas was born, his father Andrew was killed at sea in a teribble storm. Cynthia raised Lucas only with the help of her own mother.
When Lucas was a small child, they were often visited by sailors who had worked with Andrew. They asked Cynthia if they could show the boy how to fish and do other things like that. They wanted to show him what his father had done. Andrew had always been a popular person. But Cynthia would always send them away and forbid them to visit again.
Lucas had never been aware of that; he was too young to really know what was happening. Cynthia had never told him that Andrew was a sailor. She was afraid to loose Lucas to the ocean also. She told me once that she was sure that if Lucas would ever sail on a ship, he would want to do it again and again; that Lucas would fall in love with the ocean and that he would never really become happy on land again. Just like Andrew.
For Andrew, sailing was one of the most wonderful things that existed. But Cynthia hated it. For that reason, Andrew tried to find a job on land. But after just a few short weeks, he couldn't handle it any longer. He missed the sea too much. He became restless and unhappy. Cynthia realized that sailing was the only thing that could really make him happy and told him that it was all right with her if he did it again. The next tour he served on, he died.
Cynthia always said that she lost her man to the sea. She swore to herself that it wouldn't happen with her son.
When Lucas was 5, his grandmother died. He had adored the old woman. She had always stayed with Lucas when his mother went out to earn money. His grandmother had told him many stories; he had loved her stories about dolphins the most.
Cynthia had to work hard to have enough money. A few times, I had to look after Lucas; he was a bright, intelligent, and funny child. I haven't met a child since that could ask so many questions. When Lucas was seven, Cynthia met Lawrence Wolenczak. Wolenczak spent a lot of time with Cynthia, flirting with her and doting on her. Lucas didn't like him.
Lawrence's wife had died many years before. He had three sons, between one and four years older than Lucas, and much bigger and stronger. Lucas wasn't good friends with them. I never understood what Cynthia could see in Lawrence. He was unfriendly, impolite, and violent. I think Lucas had problems with him. Wolenczak and Cynthia married after only a few weeks. I asked Cynthia why she did it. I could see that she didn't love him. She said that there weren't many men who were interested in a widow with a child. And now, she could be sure that someone would care for Lucas if anyhing would happen to her and that she didn't need to worry any longer about that.
When I think back to her words now, I believe that she knew that she was seriously ill. I never saw Lucas after the wedding again. But I saw Cynthia one more time. We talked for a few minutes with each other. She looked horrible, so thin and pale. She said that she had made the wrong decision in getting married for Lucas' sake. I asked what she meant by that, but she didn't answer. Two weeks later I heard that she had died. I think Lucas had a very hard time with the Wolenczaks. He wasn't good friends with Lawrence or with the three sons. I'm sure that any other place would have been better for Lucas than that."
Everyone remained silent. Not one word was said.
Kristin Westphalen and the captain shared a few glances. Both thought back to the bruises on the teenager's body and about that what Katherine Hitchcock had just told them.
"Do you think...?" the captain didn't end his question.
Westphalen nodded. "Yes, I think so."
"What are you talking about?" Tim O'Neill wanted to know.
Captain Bridger gave Kristin a nod. The crew had a right to know it. After all, they were all responsible for Lucas at the moment. They had to make the decisions together.
"When we put dry clothes on Lucas, we saw a lot of bruises on his body." It was difficult for Westphalen to say this.
"You don't think that ..." Miguel started. Before the man could end his question, the captain nodded sadly. Ortiz put his head down. "Oh..."
Nobody said what they were all thinking.
Katherine had tears in her eyes, and she quickly put her hands to her face to wipe them away. Unfortunately, it was not unusual that children were raised with beatings. But everything had its limits. Nobody beat their children black and blue. Beatings weren't the right way to educate. Something like that was only torture. How could anybody do that to another human being? To their own child? To the person they should love and protect?
It was no wonder anymore that Lucas was afraid to tell the captain about where he lived. It was clear to everyone that they had to be careful with the teenager; that they had to show him that he was safe on the seaQuest and that nothing would happen to him. That he didn't need to be afraid of anyone on the ship.
**********
To Be Continued...
Written 2003 / Translated April 2004
Information:
I'm against any kind of violence and I think beating their children is a crime. But this story plays 1620 and things were diffrent then and people thought also diffrently about this.
Chapter 6
By Kiddo
~*~ In Loving Memory Of Jonathan Brandis ~*~
~**Don't fix a broken heart. Who really wants to forget? (Joseph
Fiennes)**~
~**~
As the rainbow faded,
The Albatross came
And he carried me with gentle wing strokes
Far away over the seven oceans.
He carefully put me at the edge of the light.
I went inside and felt safe.
I haven't left you.
I'm just a few steps ahead.
~**~
Disclaimer:
I don't have any rights to "seaQuest DSV" or "seaQuest 2032" and I am not making any money with this story.
A big Thank You goes to my wonderfull beta-reader Jackie and KatKnits00, Sam, Kas, Mar and Reader for their wonderfull Reviews.
@Reader: You are right about the things you have said. This are history mistakes in my story. I have a note about this in the last chapter of the storie. But this story is not a history book it's just a silly fanfiction out of my crazy mind.
Feedback and reviews are still the only thing I get for writing. So please review.
***************************************************************************
After Captain Bridger told his crew what Lucas had told him, they were all silent for a moment. Benjamin Krieg was the first to speak. He was a practical, thinking man and said, "Captain, I think the easiest thing would be to make the little cabin next to yours empty. There is a bed inside the cabin and if we take enough things out, there should be enough space for him."
Bridger nodded, then he looked at Crocker and Krieg. "Can you two take care of this?" Both men nodded affirmatively. The captain thought a little bit, then he turned again to his crew. "Because of the fact that Lucas will be with us for the next part of the voyage, we have to decide what he will do on the seaQuest. Any ideas?"
"I think we should teach him the basics of sailing first. After that, he could give us a hand with working the ship," said Jonathan Ford.
"I can always use help in the galley," said Krieg, the cook.
Kristin could only shake her head at the others. "First of all, the boy has to become healthy again. He is still very exhausted, and we shouldn't overtax him. Plus, he needs to become familiar with us. We are all strangers to him."
"She is right," said the Captain. "I got the impression that he was afraid. I don't think he's very quick to trust other people."
"I also believe that's true. Perhaps we could first teach him how to read. Maybe that could be a way to get him to relax and trust us," said Kristin.
Bridger nodded. "That sounds like a good idea."
Katherine Hitchcock had been silent until now and had only listened to the others. "I know Lucas."
The others looked surprised at her.
"What? Where do you know him from? Why didn't you say anything before?" Bridger wanted to know.
"When I first saw him he looked familiar to me, but I couldn't put a name to his face and I couldn't remember where I had seen him before. But when you told us his name and said more about him, I suddenly recognized him; I knew exactly who he is."
"Please, tell us what you know."
Katherine nodded. "Yes Sir. I knew Lucas' mother, Cynthia. We lived not far away from each other. When I met her the first time, her last name was Miller. Later she fell in love with a sailor, Andrew Holt. They married and were very happy together.
Two years later, Cynthia was pregnant. They looked forward to their first child. But before Lucas was born, his father Andrew was killed at sea in a teribble storm. Cynthia raised Lucas only with the help of her own mother.
When Lucas was a small child, they were often visited by sailors who had worked with Andrew. They asked Cynthia if they could show the boy how to fish and do other things like that. They wanted to show him what his father had done. Andrew had always been a popular person. But Cynthia would always send them away and forbid them to visit again.
Lucas had never been aware of that; he was too young to really know what was happening. Cynthia had never told him that Andrew was a sailor. She was afraid to loose Lucas to the ocean also. She told me once that she was sure that if Lucas would ever sail on a ship, he would want to do it again and again; that Lucas would fall in love with the ocean and that he would never really become happy on land again. Just like Andrew.
For Andrew, sailing was one of the most wonderful things that existed. But Cynthia hated it. For that reason, Andrew tried to find a job on land. But after just a few short weeks, he couldn't handle it any longer. He missed the sea too much. He became restless and unhappy. Cynthia realized that sailing was the only thing that could really make him happy and told him that it was all right with her if he did it again. The next tour he served on, he died.
Cynthia always said that she lost her man to the sea. She swore to herself that it wouldn't happen with her son.
When Lucas was 5, his grandmother died. He had adored the old woman. She had always stayed with Lucas when his mother went out to earn money. His grandmother had told him many stories; he had loved her stories about dolphins the most.
Cynthia had to work hard to have enough money. A few times, I had to look after Lucas; he was a bright, intelligent, and funny child. I haven't met a child since that could ask so many questions. When Lucas was seven, Cynthia met Lawrence Wolenczak. Wolenczak spent a lot of time with Cynthia, flirting with her and doting on her. Lucas didn't like him.
Lawrence's wife had died many years before. He had three sons, between one and four years older than Lucas, and much bigger and stronger. Lucas wasn't good friends with them. I never understood what Cynthia could see in Lawrence. He was unfriendly, impolite, and violent. I think Lucas had problems with him. Wolenczak and Cynthia married after only a few weeks. I asked Cynthia why she did it. I could see that she didn't love him. She said that there weren't many men who were interested in a widow with a child. And now, she could be sure that someone would care for Lucas if anyhing would happen to her and that she didn't need to worry any longer about that.
When I think back to her words now, I believe that she knew that she was seriously ill. I never saw Lucas after the wedding again. But I saw Cynthia one more time. We talked for a few minutes with each other. She looked horrible, so thin and pale. She said that she had made the wrong decision in getting married for Lucas' sake. I asked what she meant by that, but she didn't answer. Two weeks later I heard that she had died. I think Lucas had a very hard time with the Wolenczaks. He wasn't good friends with Lawrence or with the three sons. I'm sure that any other place would have been better for Lucas than that."
Everyone remained silent. Not one word was said.
Kristin Westphalen and the captain shared a few glances. Both thought back to the bruises on the teenager's body and about that what Katherine Hitchcock had just told them.
"Do you think...?" the captain didn't end his question.
Westphalen nodded. "Yes, I think so."
"What are you talking about?" Tim O'Neill wanted to know.
Captain Bridger gave Kristin a nod. The crew had a right to know it. After all, they were all responsible for Lucas at the moment. They had to make the decisions together.
"When we put dry clothes on Lucas, we saw a lot of bruises on his body." It was difficult for Westphalen to say this.
"You don't think that ..." Miguel started. Before the man could end his question, the captain nodded sadly. Ortiz put his head down. "Oh..."
Nobody said what they were all thinking.
Katherine had tears in her eyes, and she quickly put her hands to her face to wipe them away. Unfortunately, it was not unusual that children were raised with beatings. But everything had its limits. Nobody beat their children black and blue. Beatings weren't the right way to educate. Something like that was only torture. How could anybody do that to another human being? To their own child? To the person they should love and protect?
It was no wonder anymore that Lucas was afraid to tell the captain about where he lived. It was clear to everyone that they had to be careful with the teenager; that they had to show him that he was safe on the seaQuest and that nothing would happen to him. That he didn't need to be afraid of anyone on the ship.
**********
To Be Continued...
Written 2003 / Translated April 2004
Information:
I'm against any kind of violence and I think beating their children is a crime. But this story plays 1620 and things were diffrent then and people thought also diffrently about this.