Chapter 2:

Captain Nathan Bridger looked around the wardroom at the curious faces around him. They were still waiting for 3 missing members of their little gathering. Dr. Levin had informed them all that Dr. Kristen Westphalin would be along shortly. She was in the middle of a minor medical emergency. It seems a young ensign was in need of a few stitches and a stern lecture after having a few too many during the overnight docking in Pearl. Nathan smiled to himself thinking that of what his young crewmen was in for. The fiery Brit was more like a mother to the younger crew members but, none more so than the youngest charge on board who was also late for this particular meeting. Lucas was no doubt, wrapped up in some new project that they would spend the next month needing to pry him away from. The last of the missing party was Miguel Ortiz. Commander Ford assured the Captain that the Sensory Chief would be along shortly. As Nathan pondered how to break the new to the people around him that they would be among those to miss out on the shore leave, he was startled by a commotion in the hall.

Sensory Chief Miguel Ortiz jogged towards the wardroom. He was already late after recalling Mother and Junior back to the Seaquest for the return to Pearl. The Chief reached the corridor at the exact same time that one equally late blonde headed teenager ran through it. The collision left both parties in a pile against the bulkhead and the Cuban cursing in Spanish under his breath.

"Uh, sorry Migs. I didn't see you." The blonde smiled nervously trying to untangle himself.

"It's alright Lucas, I didn't see you either. Are you okay?"

Miguel laughed to himself at how they must both look in a pile on the floor when the two men were interrupted by a very concerned and very agitated British accent.

"My word! Are you both alright?

"We're fine", both men echoed pulling one another up from the floor.

"Lucas Daniel Wolenzak, you were running through the boat again weren't you?" The red-headed Doctor gave the boy her patented 'look of death'. Everyone on the Seaquest knew that look. It was usually followed by a lengthy lecture held during some embarrassing medical testing you had no idea you needed. Ortiz avoided that look normally at all cost but, he knew this time it wasn't solely the boy's fault. As he watched Lucas stutter to come up with an answer he decided to bite the bullet and intervene.

"We bother were.", Miguel interjected placing a firm hand on Lucas' shoulder and pulling the blonde back a step.

"Well I should have you both report to medbay for full physicals for such a daft stunt. You both could of broken yo-"

Just then Captain Bridger, who had silently witnessed the whole thing interrupted with a rye smile.

"If it's alright with the 3 of you, I'd like to get on with this meeting."

Lucas and Ortiz both looked down and went straight to their seats next to Tim and Ben, both relieved to be seated far away from the good doctor who shot them both looks telling them their talk was not over.

"Alright boys and girls, we have a rather interesting game we're being asked to take part in." The Captain stated looking around at the confused faces of his crew.

"A game sir?", the dark skinned commander questioned trying to hold his proper military facial expression.

"War games commander, you verses Lt. Com. Hitchcock."

"Like real old fashioned war games?", The Lt. Commander asked, her crystal blue eyes dancing with excitement.

"Well, not exactly old fashion. It seems the UEO has come up with a simulation program that can be run on the bridge to make the Seaquest perceive an invisible enemy. You will have a week to design how you want the Seaquest to be attacked under your opponent's command."

"So, I get to decide how I want to blow up Jonathon", Katie chimed in, " and he gets to try and stop me?"

"Exactly, you may each pick your crews from the second and third shifts of the bridge crews. Tim, Lucas, and Miguel are off limits. I have a different game for them."

The three men looked at each other both excited and nervous as the captain continued.

"The three of you will meet me in my quarters at 1600 to discuss your mission."

The three young men nodded.

"Chief, you and Shan will be competing as well against a security breach."

"Aye Sir" Both men answered in unison.

"Have your teams selected from the security teams. You will have a week to prepare as well".

The wardroom was buzzing with excitement. The military officers were already planning out strategies and the trash talk had already begun. From across the room Nathan caught a glimpse of his opposition as the rather perturbed looking Doctor crossed her arms and cleared her throat to speak.

"It seems rather barbaric to me. A game of war in a time of peace."

"Well well, I'm not finished yet Doctor." The Captain mock scolded. "We will also be testing out medical staff. You verses Dr. Levin. You can each come up with an appropriate medical crises and the equipment in medbay will respond accordingly. You can get some of the medical staff to stay as patients and we'll replace the medical supplies with placebos."

The doctor rolled her eyes as Katie decided to assist the Captain in winning Kristen's approval.

"Think of it as a battle of the sexes."

Kristen hated competition but, everyone seemed so excited about it. After a few moments lost in thought she realized every one was waiting for her approval.

"Oh, alright then" she smiled, "but Chief", she said turning to one Mannilow Crocker and Chief Shan, "I don't suppose you could tell me which of you two is the farer of the sexes?"

With that the room erupted in laughter. Even the staunch Commander Ford had to laugh at the doctor's quip.

An hour later, the teams had been chosen. Commander Ford choosing the strictest most by the book military men he could find and Katie, being true to the battle of the sexes, selecting and almost entirely female crew.

Standing to leave Bridger nodded for Ortiz, O'Neill, and Lucas to follow. As they reached the door Lt. Kreig stood to meet them.

"Uh, Captain Sir?"

"Yes?"

"Well Sir, I couldn't help but notice, you didn't exactly give me a position in this war?"

"Oh, didn't I?"

The Captain leaned over to Krieg, and whispered unnoticed to the rest of the room, "You're the security breach. I'll find you in your quarters later. Don't draw attention to yourself." Then the Captain raised his voice and said, " Well Lt. Krieg, you have inventory logs to catch up on. I didn't think you needed a pretend job with the real one left undone."

"Yes Sir."

Ben smiled a little to widely for someone who had just received a reprimand.

The Captain turned to everyone in the room, "You're all dismissed. I will make an announcement to the crew about the shore leave shortly".

A short time later on the bridge, Nathan looked around at the disappointed faces around him who had all just heard they were to be excluded from the impending leave. If he had looked a little closer he may have noticed one member of the bridge crew actually looked happy and almost relieved at the news.

'Good, I still have sometime', the lanky man thought quietly looking around him. Maybe these games would be just the distraction he'd been looking for to get around that kid.