Chapter 2


UEO Base - Pearl Harbor

In an office at a UEO base in Pearl Harbor, Lieutenant Denice Jackson was looking over the file of new data one of her assistants had just brought to her. It was her job to analyze the sensor data from various vessels and satellites. While she loved working at UEO Pearl Harbor, she still wished she was working where she was supposed to have been by now - on SeaQuest. Before SeaQuest disappeared, she was assigned to work about SeaQuest on the following tour as one of her science officers. Then SeaQuest disappeared and Secretary General McGath figured her abilities were best employed at the UEO base in Pearl Harbor. Shaking her head to get the thoughts of her head, she returned her focus to the data sitting in front of her. Alexander Bourne didn't appear to have moved his forces to another area as of yet it looked like. There was some evidence of refugee movements but no conflicts happening. Then she spotted a group of data that piqued her interest. There appeared to be a large bioreading on an island near the Yucatan Peninsula. She turned towards her console and rechecked the sensor data herself. Sure enough, a very substantial reading was being found on that island. She quickly hacked some databases and found out who owned the island - the late Captain Nathan Bridger of SeaQuest. She reached for her vid-link and hit speed dial, dialing Secretary General McGath.

Secretary General McGath sat in his office in New Cape Quest, Florida working on some last-minute paperwork before a day long of hearings regarding new policies. He sighed as he thumbed through all the paperwork of information that was sitting on his desk. He pondered whether he should run for re-election or just finally retire. The last few years had been a bitch on humanity and with Alexander Bourne constantly a threat to the UEO and the peace they have maintained for over a decade, he just wasn't sure he wanted to stay in his position, especially if the UEO had to go to war with Macronesia. Lost in thought, he jumped when his intercom buzzed. His assistant stated that Lieutenant Jackson was on the vid-link waiting to report. He thanked her and told her to put the call through.

A beautiful brunette with stunning blue eyes in her early thirties appeared on the vid-link screen. McGath loved working with Jackson in monitoring the happenings around the world, although it saddened him some. She reminded him a lot of Lucas Wolenczak. With Mr. Wolenczak missing, presumed dead a decade ago, Lieutenant Denice Jackson was one of UEO's brightest computer and data analysts. A tremendous asset, the only person who ever surpassed her abilities was Mr. Wolenczak.

"Good morning, Secretary General McGath", Jackson said with a smile. She loved her work. Science and computers were her life. She didn't have many friends in Pearl Harbor, preferring reading a nice book than going about frivolous activities with others.

"Good morning Lieutenant. I'm pretty busy today as I have a day full of policy hearings so let's quickly cover the data you have amassed since yesterday," McGath spoke quickly.

"Sure thing, sir. Macronesia hasn't moved to claim any new territory in the last 24 hours, at least that we know of. However, there is something significant to report. In the last few hours, a situation has developed. We don't have much information yet; we are still trying to investigate it", stated Jackson.

"What situation?" McGath asked, his right eyebrow raised slightly. He was worried that Bourne was after another settlement.

"Well, our biosensors have picked up a significant reading on an island near the Yucatan Peninsula. With all the interference from solar storms, we haven't been able to really tell what is going on over there, but the biosensors are definitely picking something up."

That caught McGath's attention quickly. He set down the pile of paperwork he had in his hands and gave Jackson his full attention. "Which island would this be, Lieutenant?" he asked.

"Well, sir, from records I was able to find, the island was bought and settled over a decade ago by the late Captain Nathan Bridger," Jackson told McGath. She filled him in on all the information they had so far. McGath sat there, listening and pondering on what action should be taken.

"Lieutenant, I want you to send a reconnaissance team to that island and find out what is going on. It could either be a group of refugees or Bourne is moving to take more territory," McGath said. He hoped it wasn't Bourne up to something, but even a mass of refugees would be a bad mess too. Could just be a large pack of marine animals assembling on the beach he thought.

"Sure thing, sir. I figured you'd probably request that so I have a team already equipped and on standby to head for the island and figure out what is going on," Jackson said.

"Well done, Lieutenant. Please report back with any further information," McGath stated. He had a meeting to get to in 10 minutes so he gave the Lieutenant some further instructions to interrupt him if it was something important despite the hearings he'd be in all day. With that, they both said goodbye and McGath ended the vid-link call. He sat back and thought about it. "I hope it's nothing too major," he said under his breath as he got up to head to his first meeting.

Jackson quickly dialed the head of the reconnaissance team she had on stand-by and relayed the orders to find out what was going on on the island. They were already ready to leave and could be at the island within the hour. Something deep within her told her to also assign some medical staff to go with the team in case there was a shootout with Macronesian forces or refugees with injuries. With it being Bridger's island, a little voice in the back of her head also asked the question about whether it was possible that the significant life reading on the island could be the SeaQuest team. Without any proof at all in a decade that they were dead, she never fully believed that everyone had died and the ship was lost somewhere, unable to be found. Shaking her head to get off that train of thought, she went back to work, analyzing all the data coming into the office.

About an hour later, her vid-link rang and she'd receive information that would end up changing her entire world.