Chapter Four
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"You see Nathan she's not like she once was." Crysta replied as they watched Ann putting Wendy back to bed.
"You mean she's crazy?" Nathan asked.
"No," Crysta started her eyes still on Wendy. "Yes. Her mind is not what it once was. It just stopped.
"Stopped?" Lucas asked from where he sat next to Nathan.
"Yeah, it's like she is stuck in the seconds of your death, and that's what keeps playing in her head. Screams pain nothing silence death. That's all we got out of her for the first several weeks she was here." Crysta replied sadly.
"Our death?" Bridger asked looking at Crysta then back at Wendy across the room.
"Yeah, after awhile she would say you were all gone, that when the voices stopped so did the feeling, everything." Crysta said. "Locked in her mind is what happened to you while you were gone. They couldn't swipe her mind, not without causing untold damage to it."
"Really?" Lucas asked looking interested.
"Lucas," Nathan started, "I'm not sure we want to know what happened, Tobias must have had a reason to swipe our memories, and only left me with the little bit he did."
"With all due respect Nathan, but I think you may want to know what happened to you." Crysta replied looking between them. With a motion she led them from the room to a small office. Going to a filing cabinet she pulled out a file. Opening she handed a picture to Nathan.
"It's Lucas." Nathan said looking at her.
"Taken just before the SeaQuest disappeared." Crysta said handing him another picture.
"It's Lucas again." Nathan replied.
"Yeah, taken just after he collapsed at the summit." Crysta said looking at him. Lucas looked over at the pictures not seeing what she thought was so interesting. "Look at his hair, it's grown."
"Yeah it has." Nathan commented feeling a sick feeling settle in his stomach.
"Most of you showed to have aged a few day. But Lucas shows that he had aged a few months or more." Crysta said watching as Nathan looked between the two pictures.
"Excuse me, I need to think." Nathan replied handing the pictures back to Crysta and leaving the room. Crysta returned the pictures to the file and replaced them into the cabinet; she then turned back to Lucas.
"Do you want to know what happened to you?" she asked quietly.
"I don't know." Lucas replied.
"Yeah, that's where it hard. You can find out and if its horrible, you can't take it back and you have to live with that the rest of your life. And yet if you don't find out you'll be left with a blank spot." Crysta said nodding her head.
"Yeah." Lucas replied looking over at her.
"Do you ever wonder why they placed you at the summit?" Crysta asked.
"Yeah I do." Lucas said thinking she might have some explanation to it.
"Yeah me to." Crysta replied getting up and heading out of the room.
"Hey where are you going?" Lucas asked.
"Bed, Wendy should be sleeping by now." Crysta replied as they left the room together and headed towards the elevator.
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Crysta was working the next morning when her elevator opened to reveal Nathan. Smiling she stood as he entered. She indicated him to sit in the chair in front of her desk, as soon as he sat Crysta resumed sitting behind her desk.
"What can I do for you Nathan?" She asked.
"I wanted to talk to you about Wendy, I think it should be left up to the decision of the crew if they would like to find out what happened. But I also think that they have the right to know that Wendy is alive." Nathan said.
"I agree, Wendy had something that was sent back with her, a device as far as we can tell. My techs haven't been able to figure it out, I have Lucas looking at it right now." Crysta replied.
"Lucas?" Nathan asked not sounding at all happy about it.
"He volunteered." Crysta replied seeing Nathan get up and walk over to the window that took up almost one whole wall of her office. Standing she walked over to stand beside him, her eyes on the expanse of the ocean.
"I got it!" Lucas replied triumphantly, as he entered the room.
"Okay what is it?" Crysta asked walking over to the desk where Lucas had set the device. Nathan also walked over.
"It's a projection device." Lucas replied pushing a few buttons. A screen popped up. "I don't know the code."
"Maybe Wendy can help, it was sent back with her." Crysta replied.
"Yeah let's do that." Nathan said.
"All right." Crysta replied as Lucas picked up the device. "I'll get Wendy and meet you in the conference room in about fifteen minutes?"
"Okay." Nathan replied as he and Lucas left the room. Crysta turned back to the window her mind going over everything. She really didn't want to expose Wendy to this, she had come so far and she was afraid that this would send her back into her mind.
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Crysta entered the conference room and stopping looked around the room. They were all there, each of them looking at her expectedly. Walking over she stopped by Nathan and Lucas.
"Did you explain this to them?" She asked Nathan.
"No, I figured that I would leave it for you to do." Nathan said sitting down. Crysta walked over to the head of the table and took a seat.
"Six years ago." Crysta started her eyes meeting each one of them. "A friend showed up here in my med bay. Wendy Smith was found huddled in a corner terrified, unsure of where she was or how she got there."
"You mean Dr. Smith has been here this whole time?" Ford asked. "Why didn't you contact her family, or us?"
"Wendy isn't…" Crysta paused not sure how to explain the situation. "She's not like she was, she's buried deep in her mind, and she doesn't always perceive reality like we do."
"She's crazy?" Tony asked.
"In a way yes, please remember though, when you see her that she has been through a lot. Try not to upset her." Crysta replied seeing the Ann standing in the doorway. Crysta nodded and Ann escorted Wendy into the room.
"Can you see them Crysta, can you?" Wendy asked as Ann led her to a chair beside Crysta and across from Lucas. Sitting down she reached for the device in front of Lucas but then drew her hand back.
"Yes Wendy I can see them," Crysta replied smiling. "Sent back with her was a device that Lucas has figured out is a projection machine. It may be as simple as Tobias saying goodbye, or it may hold the key as to what happened to you."
"And what do you want from us?" Henderson asked.
"I want you to decide if you would like to find out what happened," Crysta replied. "Or leave the blank you have."
"And if we decide not to?" Tim asked seeing that several of the people at the table nod their heads.
"They you are free to leave the room, there is no pressure in this." Crysta replied, as the room fell silent. The room was quiet for a while as she could see each person debated on if they really wanted to know.
"Yeah, I'm game." O'Neil finally said seeing all the people at the table nod.
"Are you all sure?" Crysta asked meeting each one eyes and waiting for them to nod before moving on. Everyone in the room had decided to stay. "For those of you who were not aboard SeaQuest when she disappeared you may choose to stay or leave."
"I'd like to stay." Kristen said seeing Nathan nod his head as he took her hand. Both Devin and Ben also nodded indicating that they would also like to stay.
"Would you like to say anything Nathan?" Crysta asked.
"No." Nathan replied feeling Kristen squeeze his hand.
"All right, Lucas?" Crysta replied looking over at him. Nodding he pushed a series of button and the code screen popped up again. He then pushed it towards Wendy who was looking at it she glanced up at him. Then slowly reached out to enter a code that had been sent back with her.
"…Get this damn thing working?" Tobias said as he popped up on the screen. "I know it works we've been using it for the last ten years."
"It's working sir." Someone replied that they couldn't see.
"Good." Tobias replied looking back at the device. "If you are seeing this then my decision was a correct one. I have sent everyone back to earth so far except for Wendy Smith, whose mind could not be swiped do to her ability. This device that we are sending back will retell your story, unlock what happened."
"I find." Tobias continued, "That I can not thank the members and crew of SeaQuest enough for what they have sacrificed on behave of my people. Thank you."
As the image died Crysta's brow drew together in a frown. She wondered what he meant when he said that it would retell their story, as it seemed the recording was over. Suddenly white lights flowed out and surrounded the room blocking out everything else. Each person seemed to freeze as they saw images flying past their eyes.
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Hyperion 2022
The group headed back down the hallway towards the shuttle, they had set the charges and know were headed back to the SeaQuest. Tony looked up seeing two guards watching them as they headed back, seeing behind them that KraTaks and Stormers were arriving behind them.
"Look out! Behind you!" Tony yelled but it was too late as they watched the two guards fall.
"Take cover, watch the left!" Ortiz Yelled as Brody slide on his knees into the action.
"I need some help here." Tony yelled as the firing continued and the situation was fast becoming helpless.
"It's Ariel." Wendy said to Scott who turned towards Ariel and the KraTaks coming down the hallway.
"Tony watch it!" Henderson yells.
"Scramble, come on," Scott yelled to the people behind them. "Brody watch your back."
"Get out of that hole right now!" Tony yelled to Scott and Wendy.
"Let's go!" Scott said urging Wendy back towards the others.
"I can't hold them back." Tony replied.
"They're everywhere." Wendy said looking around.
"Watch out," Brody yells firing towards Ariel and the KraTaks. "Watch out!"
"Brody take the two on the left, I got the one on the right." Scott yelled firing and killing Stormers.
"I got three with one hit, I got 'em!" Tony says.
They see one of the Stormers through something into the docked shuttle and then Ariel and they start to back off. Seconds later the shuttled exploded as the group watched in horror.
"They've torched the Shuttle!" Tony yelled, in astonishment.
"Watch out up ahead!" Brody yelled firing at Ariel and the Stormers they came back around the corner.
"This is it, isn't it?" Miguel asked looking over at Henderson.
"It looks that way." Henderson replied also looking at the shuttle. Bridger pulled out his PAL and pushed a button.
"Commander, listen. We are completely cut off." He said.
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"We're coming in." Ford replied from the bridge of the SeaQuest.
"No, no, you can't. There's nothing you can do for us. You've got to stop this mothership anyway you can. Do you hear me? Any way you can!" Bridger replied over the PAL.
"You know what they said at the academy, Captain? Always kill two birds with one stone." Ford replied into the Pal, then turned to the bridge crew. "All ahead emergency. Darwin, leave the boat. Follow Lucas away from it."
"Whoa. What? Wait a minute." Lucas replied looking at Ford.
"Listen, take the stinger and go. There's a tiny point of land bearing south/southwest of here." Ford said hoping the young man would listen.
"I'm gonna stay here, Commander. I'm gonna fight." Lucas declared bravely.
"No you're not. Dagwood! Get him to the Stinger." Ford replied.
"Aye, sir." Dagwood replied taking Lucas by the shoulders.
"No, no…Dagwood, don't do this." Lucas said pulling away.
"I'm sorry Lucas, but Captain told me, if Commander Ford says for you to go, you go." Dagwood said with a sorry look. He didn't want to leave either but Captain told him to take care of Lucas.
"Commander." Lucas tried again.
"Lucas, just go. Dagwood." Ford said watching, as Dagwood gently turned Lucas and escorted him from the bridge. He then turned back to the bridge crew and the task at hand.
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Bridger and Tobias are working on getting open a door as the fighting goes on around them. They finally get the door open.
"Jim!" Henderson screams as she sees him hit.
"He's hit!" Miguel replied.
"Let's clear out come on!" Bridger yelled leading them in through the door to the room.
"I got him." Henderson said helping Brody through the doorway.
"Tony take to the right." Ortiz yelled as he fires.
"Everyone fall back." Scott said as the rest follow leaving Scott, Ortiz and Tony.
"Get through here." Bridger yelled, as he ushered his people into the room.
"Come on Tony!" Ortiz yelled going through the door.
"Now I'm mad." Tony said shooting at the oncoming Stormers.
"Come on." Scott said heading into the room as Tony follows.
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"Singer's clear." Tim reported.
"Aim us for where our people docked in the mothership." Ford said.
"On our way." Helmswoman Tyler replied as the SeaQuest turns towards the mothership.
"Computer." Ford said inserting an arming Key.
"Computer on." The computer said.
"Arm all weapons, Unlock code 826242." Ford said.
"Permissive Action link confirmed." The computer replied. "Conventional weapons armed. Nuclear weapons armed. Pulse energy weapons armed. All weapons armed."
"Target the mothership above our people's heads. We're gonna try and flood out the Stormers." Ford said.
"Aye aye, sir. Lasers up. Torpedo's up." Tim replied pushing buttons.
"Commander, what's that?" Helmswoman Tyler asked alarmed.
"A barrier mine." Ford replied completely shocked.
"Huh," Tim replied numb, as he reached in and pulled out his cross. "I guess they had some underwater technology after all."
"Oh my god." Ford replied as the SeaQuest takes a direct hit and is hulled. She started to sink taking the helpless crew with her.
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"They're coming in through the wall." Scott yelled, as Stormers fire in through a hole in the wall.
"Reload!" Tony yells.
"I Can't, Losing charge we don't have enough to hold them." Ortiz replied.
"Alright watch it." Bridger said to the people around him.
"Good shot Keller." Tony says as, Stormers goes down.
"It's okay I got you." Henderson says to Brody who is in a lot of pain.
"There's to many of them!" Ortiz shouts.
"Come on Ortiz!" Tony yells.
"Jonathan?" Bridger says into his pal, he gets no response so he hits it. "Jonathan?"
"We're taking off." Scott yells as the ship starts to take off.
"It's terminal maneuvers to bring the comet in." Tobias replies.
"Lucas? Lucas, can you hear me?" Bridger asked into his PAL.
"I hear you Captain. I'm coming back." Lucas said preparing to turn the Stinger around.
"No, no. There's nothing you can do for us. What's happened to the SeaQuest?" Bridger asks into the PAL.
"She's down, Captain," Lucas replied quietly. "She's been hulled."
Bridger closes his eyes sending out a silent prayer for his people aboard the sinking SeaQuest. Opening them he looks at his PAL again. "We've had it Kiddo. You're on your own now, Lucas. Just don't let them take away what you believe. DO you understand me? Not what you believe. You tell them what's happened here today."
"They're coming through." Ortiz yells as Stormers start in through the hole.
"Behind you!" Scott yells firing at the advancing Stormers.
"Captain?" Lucas yells into his PAL but gets no answer from the Captain.
"Piccolo watch the left." Ortiz says.
"We got nowhere left to go Cap." Tony shouts glancing back at Bridger as the Stormers flood into the room. Reaching up Bridger places his hand over Henderson as he looks sadly around at the people who had fought so hard.
"It's time." Henderson replied quietly. Bridger pushed the button and closing his eyes he sends out a prayer for all of the men and woman who will lose their lives on this foreign world in a war that wasn't their own.
The stinger rocked as the shock wave from the mothership exploding. Lucas can hardly believe it; he can't understand what has happened. They travel quite a ways and as the stinger runs out of fuel they still have found no land. Surfacing they pull out an inflatable boat and climb out of the stinger.
"Well at least Darwin's okay." Lucas said as he watches the dolphin jumping in the waves.
"And our friends?" Dagwood asked looking at the miles and miles of Blue Ocean.
"Well the comet passed without hitting us," Lucas replied looking up at the sky. "So… Scott was right. That means we've won."
"So…" Dagwood asked wanting to know what they were going to do now.
"So we have to find fuel for the stinger. And then we'll go looking for survivors." Lucas replied leaning towards Dagwood. "They can't all be dead, Dagwood. All right? They can't be. We'll find them I swear to God we'll find them."
"And if we don't?" Dagwood asked hating to think of the possibility.
"Then we'll rebuild here," Lucas replied leaning back. "Someday, we'll carry their story back to Earth."
Lucas looked up at the twin moons that were rising as night fell. He didn't want to think about what had happened, and what they had lost. Closing his eyes he figured if he got some sleep then maybe when he woke up it would all be a horrible dream.
Dagwood watched his friend sleep. He watched, as Lucas started to toss and turn again he was having another nightmare, the third one this night. He looked to where the sun was just starting to come up. Hearing a noise he searched the horizon until he found it.
"Lucas?" Dagwood said gently shaking the boy.
"Huh?" Lucas replied sitting up.
"Look," Dagwood said pointing to the approaching ship. Lucas watched quietly as the ship stopped along side them and the door opened.
"Tobias?" Lucas asked not sure if it was really him or not.
"Yes," Tobias replied. "Come on, we have them all."
"Okay" Lucas replied figuring that they wouldn't be any worse off it turned out not to be Tobias. If they stayed in the inflatable they wouldn't have any food or water. Entering the ship they rode back to the rebel base in silence. Once they arrived one of the techs took Dagwood, as Tobias led Lucas towards a room.
"Captain?" Lucas asked as they entered the room. Nathan turned towards the voice.
"Oh thank God." Nathan said walking over grab the boy and pulled him into his arms. He had been afraid that the mothership had exploded with the Stinger to close.
"We have the dolphin sir," A rebel said entering the room. "He's in stasis."
"Very good." Tobias replied as the rebel left. He turned back to Nathan and Lucas.
"I want the crew's memories cleared of this incident." Nathan said.
"Nathan," Tobias said trying to reason with the captain.
"But Captain you told me to carry our story back to earth." Lucas said.
"That was before, but with all of us going back now I don't want this hanging over our peoples heads." Nathan said laying a hand on Lucas's shoulder. Lucas just nodded.
"Sir we have the SeaQuest," A rebel said.
"And?" Tobias inquired.
"She's heavily damaged but I think we can fix her." The rebel said.
"Alright." Tobias said.
"I want to erase her computer banks of what happened." Nathan said. Tobias just nodded, knowing that he couldn't argue with Nathan. They left the room and headed towards the SeaQuest was.
Lucas followed Nathan into the SeaQuest; it was eerie without any people on board. He stopped in the doorway to the bridge; his eyes following his Captain as Bridger headed towards the computer.
"Lucas?" Nathan said glancing back at the boy.
"Yes captain?" Lucas asked not moving from his spot by the doorway.
"Come on and help me." Bridger replied urging the boy onto the bridge. Lucas slowly entered the bridge and stopped beside Nathan. "Start shutting down her systems while I erase the computers memories."
"Okay." Lucas replied starting to shut down they systems one by one. By the time he had most of the systems shut down Bridger was through with the computer. Shutting the last of them down they left the bridge.
Lucas stopped at the doorway again looking back over the bridge. He was sad at what was ending. All that they had been though, and all that they had lost. Turning he saw Bridger watching him.
"Don't think of it as an ending, Lucas. But as a beginning." Nathan said as they left the SeaQuest. They followed Tobias to another room on the ship; it was filled with rows and rows of stasis tubes.
"We're ready." One of the techs said coming over.
"Lucas." Nathan said turning towards the boy. "When we get back what do you say we take a long vacation?"
"Really?" Lucas asked with a smile.
"Yeah." Nathan said.
"I'd like that." Lucas replied seeing him nod and then walk away with the tech. He watched as Nathan stepped into the tube and the door close. The tech pushed a few buttons and watched as Nathan Bridger's vitals slowed.
"He's in stasis sir." The tech replied to Tobias. Tobias nodded and then turned to the young man beside him.
"Lucas?" Tobias said, seeing Lucas turn to him looking slightly pale.
"I can't." Lucas replied watching them, as the Captains stasis tube was laid flat and placed in a row with the others. "Please Tobias, let me stay awake and help with the SeaQuest."
"Lucas," Tobias said seeing the fear in the boy, with a sigh he nodded his head. "But only until the SeaQuest if fixed."
"Okay" Lucas said following Tobias from the room. He stopped in the doorway to look back over his crew. He wanted to help make sure they got home, and that they had a boat when they did.
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Lucas looked up as the crew that had been working on SeaQuest stopped for the day. Standing he stretched and contemplated all that they had accomplished in the last two weeks. He had heard just this morning that tomorrow they would be lifting off for Earth.
Walking towards the stasis room he stopped outside the door. In the last two weeks he had not been able to bring himself to go back in, yet he knew he had to. He needed to check on his friends and crewmembers.
"Lucas are you okay?" Tobias said as he stopped beside the young man.
"Hey Tobias." Lucas said looking at him then back at the door.
"Something wrong?" Tobias asked having been told that Lucas spent a lot of time standing outside the door.
"No." Lucas replied feeling slightly silly that he couldn't bring himself to enter the room where his family was. He realized that beyond that door was his family, the only family he really knew. "I'm just nervous about entering the stasis room."
"I could go with you if you would like." Tobias replied.
"No I think I should do this by myself." Lucas said stepping forward and letting the door open. He walked in his eyes scanning the tubes. He walked over to the first one he had to smile. It was of Commander Ford, and it was the first time that Lucas had seen him look peaceful.
Walking on he glanced at each person from the bridge crew; Tim didn't look as relaxed his cross necklace still in his hand. He walked on his eyes stopping when they landed on Tony. Tony was his brother; he hadn't realized it until the thought of losing them all.
Continuing down the line he stopped at Wendy's tubes, his eyes straying to the tech that was looking worriedly at the woman inside. Lucas looked down at Wendy again and noticed that her face didn't look peaceful at all.
"What's wrong?" Lucas asked.
"Well." The tech said, not sure that he should tell the boy anything, he knew that Lucas already had a phobia about being placed in stasis as it was.
"It's okay." Tobias said walking over to stand beside Lucas.
"We can't swipe her mind, Tobias. There is to much damage to it already." The tech replied. "If we swipe it, we could cause so much damage she would cease to function."
"Damage? What kind of damage?" Lucas asked concerned for Wendy.
"With hertelepathic powers," Tobias said quietly. "She is reliving the core explosions over and over."
"Oh God," Lucas mumbled as he realized what that meant. "But not while she's in stasis right?"
"Kind of." The tech said.
"What do you mean Kind of?" Lucas asked.
"It's slowed but I think she is still reliving part of it." He replied. "All we can do is leave her as she is, and hope that we can find her family once we get back to earth."
"Very good," Tobias replied nodding as he turned to Lucas. "I was going to head to get something to eat, would you like to join me?"
"No thanks, I think I'll stay here for a while." Lucas replied as he walked towards Bridger's tube. He stopped beside the tube and laid a hand on the lid. He looked up to see Tobias quietly watching him.
Tobias smiled sadly at the boy then turned and left the room. Lucas looked back down at his sleeping Captain. Bridger looked peaceful, like everything was going to work out and Lucas hopped that it did.
With one last glance Lucas left the stasis room and headed to the room that they had given him. He had managed to get some stuff from his room aboard SeaQuest, so he didn't feel as alone. Going to the bed he laid down, he needed to sleep but still the nightmare came.
"Lucas?" Tobias said, seeing the teen open his eyes.
"What?" Lucas asked sitting up.
"We are going to lift off, would you like to come to the bridge and watch?" Tobias asked.
"Yeah I would." Lucas said getting up from the bed and following behind Tobias. They entered the bridge and Tobias gave the order for them to depart. Lucas felt the ship as it started to rise from the Hyperion Sea. His eyes fixed on the screen as they cleared the water, and then the sky.
Lucas waited for them to make a hyperspace jump but after a few minutes when they didn't he looked over at Tobias. Who, was looking back at him with a sad look on his face.
"We can't return you as fast as they brought you Lucas." Tobias said.
"How long?" Lucas asked looking between Tobias and one of the female rebels.
"We don't know yet," Tobias said meeting the young man's eyes. "I'm sorry Lucas, I wish it were another way."
"I know Tobias, I know." Lucas said heading off the bridge to go back to helping with the SeaQuest.
"He is very brave." The woman said.
"Yes he is Triennia." Tobias said nodding in agreement.
"We will get them back Tobias." Triennia said laying a hand on Tobias' shoulder. "And the KraTaks will not be a threat to him or his world. That is good?"
"Yes that is good." Tobias replied smiling at the woman.
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A/n: sorry the updates are so far apart. But don't give up, because I havent.