Whiny Author's Note: Who's annoying idea was it for me to put all of Lucas' computer speaking in italics? It takes me forever and my computer keeps insisting I want everything that way... remind me never to do that again... Ok, done grumbling.

And thank you so much. I'm always thrilled when I post something and I see people have read it within minutes. You guys rock.


Lucas tried to bite his lip in pure frustration, he didn't feel anything and it only made him more angry. He knew faking a call from the UEO may very well put Tim in danger, but he never thought York would blow up his station. Now, there would be no calls coming in or out until Tim or himself were able to fix the hardware. Even though he was operating the entire ship, he couldn't do a thing when the wires and circuits were fired.

He watched Jayde laying on the floor of the deck, whimpering. He didn't know what exactly happened, but didn't she was injured. One moment she was talking to York in a mostly calm way and the next, she collapsed. He was losing control of the situation fast.


Katie and Kristin were the only ones on the bridge to make the connection, and gasped in shock. "That's impossible." Kristin sputtered.

"Why?" York asked, looking up from Jayde. "A new face, a new name, and several years bidding my time to get my revenge." He smiled with wild eyes. "I just had to wait." He looked down at the girl again. "This though... this is just the icing on the cake."

"You can't fault a girl for defending her mother!" Katie growled.

"I can't? Why not? She killed my brother, she needs to be punished." York blinked in confusion. Kristin could see he had completely lost his grip on reality, she decided to change tactics.

"I know she does, Sidney was it?" York nodded blankly. "Sidney, I think you should let me make sure she is alright." She gently persuaded him.

"I should?"

Kristin nodded, "yes, you should, I think she is going into shock... if she isn't well, she can't stand trial for killing your brother."

"Oh... oh yes, you're right." York waved distractedly to Bentley, and Kristin was set free from her handcuffs. Ben and Katie were attached together in her place.

She carefully made her way to Jayde, and York stepped back, watching her with mild interest. "Sweetheart, look at me." Kristin implored. Jayde's breaths were coming in ragged gasps, but she raised her head from her arms. The doctor blinked in surprise when saw the girl's eyes were clear and free of tears. She looked frightened, but was clearly holding on. After clearing her throat and recovering herself, Kristin made a show of checking her pulse.

When she leaned close, Jayde breathed into her ear. "My pocket, right side." Kristin leaned over her body and slipped two fingers into her side pocket. She felt the hypodermic needle inside. Palming it, she straightened.

"I'd like to take her to the medbay."

York was shaking his head, "no, you can treat her here, I'm not letting her out of my sight. She might become a computer or something. You can't prosecute computers."

Kristin swallowed, "can you help me get her to a chair? I can examine her better if she's seated, and I don't believe she can stand now."

Bentley started towards them, but York was there first. He lifted the shaking girl and deposited her in the captain's chair, Kristin made sure she was next to him the entire time. "Oh, look Sidney, you're injured, let me see it." She pointed to a deep scrape on his forearm.

"What? Yes that's right, when the computer exploded." He reached his arm out to the doctor, seemingly transfixed by her gentle British lilt.

Kristin smiled at him warmly before plunging the needle into his vein and pressing the plunger. York jerked back and stared at the needle vaguely. He plucked it out and threw it on the ground. "What was that?" He didn't shout, he only looked confused.

Kristin opened her mouth to make an excuse, but Bentley was on her before she could respond. He slammed into her and shoved her violently. Kristin tried to catch herself on the chair Jayde was sitting on but missed. She crashed to the deck landing painfully on her arm. A loud crack, followed by her scream, was heard around the bridge. Bentley drew his gun and held it on the three remaining crew members when they tried to come to her aid, they didn't seem to care about the weapon.

Katie stopped and laid a restraining hand on her ex-husband before he got himself shot. "We have to wait," she whispered. "Remember Schrader?"

Ben stopped fighting the cuffs and let out a breath, the side of his mouth quirked into a smirk. "Yes, ma'am."

"Sir! We're taking on water, we're sinking fast." Kents called from his post.

York tore his eyes away from Kristin, who had pulled herself into a sitting position and was cradling her arm. "So? It's sub."

"Yes... sir, but we can't fire if we get much deeper."

The man blinked slowly a few times before turning to the vid-screen. "What... what are you doing to my ship?"

You better close the bridge doors.

"Why?" York shook his head and tried to focus on the moving words.

Because you only have a few minutes before you are all underwater.

York started to giggle, "we're underwater already."

Bentley ignored his befuddled boss and punched the mechanization to close the doors, pushing Chars away from his guard duty. "What did you do?"

I didn't do anything this time, I believe some of my friends may have though.

"You kill us all!" Bentley screamed.

Oh, really? Huh, I guess I didn't think about that. Well, you were planning to kill millions of people. Turn about is fair play.

Kents looked to York, who was now staring at the water in Darwin's tank, blowing raspberries. "Sir? What do we do?"

"Can I play with the dolphin?" York asked.

"God damn it." Bentley snarled. "What did you give him?"

"Liquid oxy." Jayde answered, grinning.

Your prize is sinking to bottom of the ocean, and your leader is... well... look at him. All eyes turned to York, who was involved in a puppet show with his bare hands for Darwin. Maybe you should just give up.

Bentley was furious, there was no helping coming from the man who hired him or the others on the bridge. "It's too late, we can't go back."

"It isn't," Nathan spoke up. "You didn't kill anyone yet. They'll be hard on you, but if you free us, it won't be as bad."

"Stop trying to talk to me like I'm your friend, Bridger. It won't work on me. I'm going to see this through to the end."

"And what is the end? You can't fire weapons, you can't go anywhere, you can't even leave the bridge." Ben taunted.

Bentley turned to the vid-screen, "call the UEO. I have some demands."

You should have thought of that before your boss destroyed the communications console.

"They won't give you anything even if you could." Nathan informed him.

"Why is this so hard for you people to understand? I will shoot all of you if I have to!" Bentley raged.

"You're the one who doesn't understand." Kristin said quietly. She was still holding her arm, but stood to face him. "We put our lives on the line everyday to help other people. It's who we are, it's what we do." He looked back at her disbelievingly, and she held her good hand out to him. "Let us help you now."

"No, I'm not falling for that." He backed away, shaking his head.

Kents stood from his post, "sir, I'm not going down with you." He pulled his own gun and aimed it at the man.

Bentley spun to him. "You're betraying me?"

"No, I signed up to help York..." he nodded his head to the man, still playing with Darwin. "And I just can't follow him anymore. He told us all he was just going to threaten the UEO. He lied to us, and we need to stop what he started."

"What about you?" Bentley asked the other three commandos on the bridge. Two of the lower ranking men looked uneasy before pulling their own weapons and pointing them at Bentley. "So you're all just abandoning me?"

"Sir," Chars started, "I will back you up, but just two us against everyone is stupid."

"Free us now." Nathan ordered. "You have no choice."

"No choice? I have a lot of choices. One of them is who I have to kill before the rest of you all fall in line."

"That's not really something we do." Ben pointed out. "You should have done more research."

Bentley jerked his head when he heard a large wave of water hit the doors of the bridge. He eyed the edges of the seal nervously, but saw no leaks. "You can't get out now, we're all stuck together." Katie informed him.

After staring at the door for several seconds, Bentley nodded. "Release them, but not Bridger, I want some kind of protection from the rest." Chars inclined his head and went to work uncuffing the crew. They gratefully rubbed their sore wrists. Nathan crossed to Bentley without being forced, and sat in a chair in front of him.

"Now, someone fix the communications, I want to call out." Bentley flinched when vid-screen started showing words again.

Tim and I are the only ones who can. I can't physically touch it and he's in no shape to try. Face it, you're screwed.

"Lucas..." Nathan started in a warning tone.

Sorry Captain, you can lecture me on my language later.

Nathan shook his head, slightly amused. It seemed that nothing could damper that boy's spirit. Jayde, in particular, seemed to take heart from his sarcasm she stood and offered a cocky smile. "So, what are you going to do?"

Bentley's frantic eyes shot from one person to the next. He finally turned to the vid-screen. "You're right, I am screwed." He raised the gun and pressed it to his temple. "I still have one way out though..."


Author's Note: Sorry for the wait on this one, I had some computer problems and then there was caramel vodka. Next one should be tonight or tomorrow.