Chapter Three: Surprise

AN: Thanks for the reviews! :o)

Disclaimer: I still don't own seaQuest. If I were rich, however, I totally would!

You have to keep your eyes open
As wide as you can
You never know what could come along
-A New Found Glory-

Bridger, Sheila, and Noyce entered the sea deck. There were a few crew members around, but otherwise the place was empty. There was a large pool at one end of the room.

Bridger looked around, noting the changes that had been made. Big changes. "This was supposed to be the missile prep room," he commented.

"It was. We pulled them out after the treaty was signed," Noyce replied.

"And the forward weapons room?" He couldn't imagine they had taken out all the weapons.

"I'm not going to lie to you, Nathan. This is still a military vessel. Not everyone was satisfied with the terms of the treaty. There are still pockets of resistance." Noyce looked like he would very much like to lie to Bridger and convince him that seaQuest was for research purposes only.

"Well, why all the science?"

"If the world hangs in there and this thing works out, it can eventually become a full time research vessel," Noyce answered.

Bridger thought for a moment. "But why me?" he questioned.

"We need a cool head. Someone who hasn't been sitting with their finger on the trigger," answered Noyce. "Besides, you understand these science guys. You speak their language."

Bridger looked annoyed at Noyce again. "I told you back at the island I am not interested."

"Nathan, just listen to me, just listen-" Noyce was interrupted when they all got sprayed with water from the pool. They looked down, and staring playfully up at them was a dolphin.

"A dolphin!" Sheila cried, moving closer to the pool.

Bridger shook his head at Noyce. "Very funny."

"Hey, you thought of it," Noyce told him.

"Thought of what?"

"A sub that could carry a navy-trained dolphin on board."

"Those tubes I saw?" Bridger questioned, remembering the tubes of water he had seen throughout the ship.

Noyce nodded. "Yeah. Bridger's folly."

"You mean he has access to the entire ship?" Bridger asked.

"Just the way you designed it," Noyce agreed.

Bridger leaned over the edge of the pool and called to the dolphin. When the dolphin swam over, Bridger reacted with surprise. "Darwin! This is my dolphin!"

Sheila came over for a closer look. "It is! Hey, baby," she said, as she rubbed Darwin's nose.

Noyce looked pleased. "I thought you would enjoy having him on board."

Bridger stood up and looked at Noyce, anger in his eyes. "Well, you thought wrong. You know, you talk peace, but you act military. You took him for your own objective and that's not acceptable. Now you're after me, also not acceptable." He looked back at Darwin. "Easy fella, we'll have you outta here in no time."

Darwin bobbed his head. "Darwin play."

Bridger just stared at him. "What?"

"Darwin play here."

Sheila's eyes were wide. "Did he just...?"

"Who wants to play?" Bridger asked.

Noyce grinned. "I think he wants to play.

"Smooth rocks."

"He means the sides of the tank," Noyce said.

"I know what he means," Bridger snapped. "This is some kind of game."

"Oh, it's no game," said Lucas Wolenczak, standing a few feet away. "Cutting edge technology. You see, sensors in the tank pick up the sighs, clicks, and whistles, then the ship's computer interprets it, translates it, and pumps it back into these speakers. Unless it fritzes out on you or something."

Bridger took in the kid standing in front of him. About Sheila's age, cocky grin, wearing jeans and a flannel shirt. "Who are you?" he demanded.

"Who are you?" was the kid's response.

Noyce interrupted before Bridger could respond. "Lucas Wolenczak, Nathan Bridger. And that's his daughter, Sheila. Lucas designed the system that allows Darwin to speak."

Bridger stared at Lucas incredulously. "You're kidding."

"You sounds surprised, Captain. Or maybe just a little jealous," Lucas grinned.

"Jealous?" Bridger snorted.

"Well, I heard you were working on a similar system and gave up. Switched to hand signals or something." He said "hand signals" so scornfully it made Sheila laugh, earning her a glare from her father.

"So?" Bridger said.

"Nothing," Lucas shrugged.

"He can understand me?" Bridger asked.

"Don't ask me. Ask him."

Bridger shrugged. "All right, I will. Darwin, how did we meet?"

"Darwin hurt, island, help," Darwin answered.

"Well?" Noyce asked Bridger.

"I found him floating in a lagoon. He was cut up by a fisherman's net," Bridger explained. "Wait a minute, Darwin, what's the color of my favorite bathing suit?"

"No suit, skin, no Sheila."

Everyone looked at Sheila. "There are some things I never want to see."

"He's right. I don't wear a suit," Bridger said.

"Well, thank you for painting that picture for us," Lucas said. "Listen, I hate to break up this little seminar, but I've gotta go. Or should I say..." Lucas signs "see you later" and then leaves, turning at the door to wave to Sheila, before disappearing into the hallway.

Bridger looked over at Sheila, who was staring at the doorway Lucas had left through.

"Impressive, isn't he?" Noyce commented.

"I could think of a few other words to describe him," Bridger replied.

Sheila smiled. "I think he's kinda cute." Bridger glared at her again. She just shrugged in reply and went over to Darwin again.

"What's he doing here?" Bridger asked Noyce. "Besides as a ploy to get Sheila to want to stay."

"He lives here."

"How so?" Bridger couldn't imagine a submarine be a great home for any kid.

"His father's in charge of our largest corporate endowment. Well, he pulled a few strings and got Lucas assigned to the seaQuest. Apparently there was a bit of a disciplinary problem and the father figured what better place to put him than on a submarine.

Bridger snorted. "So you're not only a peacekeeper, now you're a baby-sitter."

"Oh, Nathan, the kid's a genius," Noyce explained. "I mean, this thing with the dolphin is only the tip of the iceberg. He needs discipline, he needs guidance..."

"He needs a haircut," Bridger interrupted. He couldn't tell anymore if this was a submarine or a circus ring.