Author's Notes: - Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing.
Here is the final episode of Season One and the last chapter until NaNoWriMo is over. I really enjoy writing Kate and I have ideas for Season Two and beyond in this universe. So this will be continued.
Enjoy for now.
Kate placed her towel on the sun-bed beside Hitchcock before laying back and slipping her sunglasses on.
"This is the way to spend the day," she murmured.
"Definitely," Hitchcock agreed with sigh of contentment
The two women lay enjoying the sun for almost an hour before being disturbed by noise from nearby; Kate looked up and saw the guys setting up a volleyball court, "What are they doing?"
Hitchcock chuckled, "It looks like they've been challenged. Do you want to watch?"
"Let's see," Kate pretended to think it over, "Stay here or go ogle the guys with no shirts on getting sweaty?"
Hitchcock laughed, "Let's go."
x
Kate slid over to stand by Tim, "Are you not playing?"
"Considering I just got rid of the sling," he rolled his eyes at her, "Take a guess."
She chuckled before turning to where the male crew members of the Seaquest were getting ready to play, "Come on, guys let's show them we are the best."
As the game started Kate mused how she never would have been here a few months ago cheering on her crewmates. But since her run in with her step-father she somehow felt more connected to them than before.
"Hit it, Nathan," she yelled before cheering as their guys scored again.
When the Seaquest won Kate wrapped her arm around Tim's waist hugging him, enjoying actually feeling part of a group. It was a pity it wouldn't be for much longer.
The tour was ending and Kate still had no idea what she was going to do after it.
x
Night was falling and Kate was sitting cross-legged on one of the sun beds watching waves crash against the shore. The rest of the crew were nearby chatting, eating and drinking as they waited for the sun to set completely so the reason they were here today could begin.
"I don't think I've seen you this relaxed in a long time," Nathan noted as he sat on the sun bed beside her.
"I don't think I have been," Kate gave him a bright smile, "It's odd. When I tried to pull away after…well you know, Tim wouldn't let me and forced me to face everything. Somehow I feel lighter."
Nathan laughed.
"What's so funny?" she demanded.
He moved to sit with her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, "You realise this is you becoming part of a family, don't you?"
"Just as it's about to break up," she chuckled.
"Tours end, the crew separates," he told her, "Some of them will move on but others will be back and new ones will be folded in. We'll always be a family."
Kate stared at the waves in silence for a moment before she turned to him, "That is the biggest load of sentimental garbage I have ever heard."
Nathan chuckled, "I forgot who I was talking to for a minute."
She rested her head against him, "I've known for a long time that no matter what I can turn to you and Bill if I'm in trouble. But now I have several more people I can turn to which is new."
"Good new or bad new?"
Kate shrugged, "We'll find out."
x
The buildings across from them lit up everyone applauded as the Hydroelectric Power Plant went on line. Kate turned and saw Lucas hunched in his jacket anger radiating from him. She felt sorry for the teenager. His father was being praised by everyone for the thing that had taken him from Lucas.
He started up the beach past everyone, Kate patted Tim's arm to let him know she was heading back to the boat before she followed Lucas.
They were almost at the Seaquest when Lucas stopped and turned to her.
"I don't want to talk," Lucas snarled.
Kate shrugged, "And I'm just walking back to the boat."
He grimaced at her, "Kate."
"Look," she said softly, "Your father sucks, trust me, mine was worse."
Lucas rolled his eyes, "So, what? Is that supposed to make me feel better?"
"No, it just lets you know there is a club," she squeezed his arm, "You're allowed to be mad at him but remember you're not on your own."
"What about you?" Lucas asked, "Are you mad at your father?"
Kate shrugged, "My real father died when I was very young but my…foster father. Well let's just say if I never see him again it will be too soon."
Lucas sighed.
"Look, be mad at him and when you see him let him know that this isn't acceptable," Kate told him, "But, and to be honest I can't believe I'm about to say this, you have another family on the boat."
He nodded and headed back into the Seaquest leaving her alone.
Kate listened to Nathan's goodbye speech, smiling amused as he talked about how good the tour had been.
"What?" Nathan demanded as he caught up with her leaving the bridge.
"I was just thinking about the first day we came on board," she told him, "Do you remember?"
He chuckled, "Of course. You were wearing an outfit that actually caused accidents."
"And I looked good," she drawled with a sly wink before becoming serious again, "But what I was actually talking about was you and your insistence that you weren't staying."
Nathan shrugged, "I changed my mind."
"And I wanted to say thank you for that," Kate smiled, "If it wasn't for you taking over the Seaquest and then giving me a place on it I don't know where I'd be. I do know for certain though that I would not be in as good a place."
Nathan smiled amused, "Do you have a gift for me?"
"God, no," Kate laughed, "I don't do sentimental, remember?"
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and moved her to his quarters, "Well I have something for you."
"Should I worry?"
Nathan didn't answer, picking up a large brown envelope on the bunk before handing it to her. Bemused Kate reached in and pulled out a picture of a man she didn't recognise, confused she turned it over.
"Robert Patterson?" she read off the back, "Who is he?"
"Look further in," Nathan told her, enjoying her confusion.
Putting her hand in once more Kate pulled out a document and let out a gasp as she read her own birth certificate.
"I spoke with Bill and we managed to find some information on him for you," he told her, gasping surprised as she hugged him.
"Thank you," she whispered.
x
Kate held the envelope close to her, stunned that Nathan and Bill had found this for her, until recently she hadn't thought about her father much but after her step-father's declaration that he'd killed him Kate had been thinking about him a lot.
"Careful there," Crocker caught her arm as she almost got trampled by some of the security guards moving equipment.
"Thanks, Chief," she smiled, annoyed at herself for not paying attention. As the corridor emptied she turned to him, "I haven't had the chance to talk to you alone since…" she trailed off as he nodded, "I had no idea you'd met Kate King."
"I didn't expect you to recognise me," Crocker told her, "You were in bad shape the first time I saw you."
Kate chuckled, "Well thank you anyway. If I felt you were watching me I would have run, a long time ago."
"The Captain trusted you," Crocker told her, "I trust him. Then after the boat was taken over I saw how hard you worked to protect it."
Kate smiled at him, "I wish I had known before now. Things could have been more fun."
As he chuckled Kate grinned.
"Whatever you decide to do," Crocker told her, "Don't be Kate King again."
x
Kate sat on her bunk and emptied out the contents of the envelope. There were photographs and a file giving her all the information on her father, finally there were three discs labelled in numerical order.
Curiously she slipped the first one in and waited. The man who appeared on the screen was the one on the picture she was holding, her father.
"Hi, Sophie," he said to her, "You've just been born and I can't believe how beautiful you are. I'm making these tapes so that you can see the embarrassing stories I tell are real."
Kate paused the recording wiping the tears filling her eyes. She pulled out the disc and replaced everything into the envelope she'd watch the rest of it once she prepared herself a little before she put it away for safety.
Ford looked up as he heard an annoyed sigh coming from the communications station, "Is there a problem, Mr. O'Neill?"
Tim turned, "I'm getting a confirmed uplink from every satellite we're assigned to but nothing's coming back."
"I'm shut out of the Internet," Lucas spoke up from his seat, "I'm not getting anything back either."
Hitchcock frowned bemused at Kate who was sitting at her side, "Did you run diagnostics?"
Tim nodded, "Three times. I tried emergency bands, private sector transponders, and commercial broadcasts. Nothing's coming back. It's like the globe's been unplugged."
Lucas nodded, "That's exactly what it's like."
"That doesn't sound good," Kate moved to Tim's side to study the board.
"The globe doesn't unplug," Hitchcock told them, "Have you tried Satcom?"
Tim nodded, "Satcom, Norpac First Strike, even Conal-Rad."
Ford chewed his bottom lip for a moment, "Try the E-band. Stand by for UEO Sig-Cor E-band test."
Tim gave another quick nod before accessing.
"Identity confirmed," the automated reply came, "United Earth Oceans Signal Core emergency band engaged."
x
"Kate, we have to get to the launch bay," Tim argued as she started the opposite way from the launch bay as they were evacuating the boat.
"I need to get something," she told him.
Tim grimaced, "Kate, we don't have the time."
"I am making the time," Kate snarled at him before she dodged away.
Tim groaned as she ran away from him and followed her; the Captain had ordered that he make sure Kate left the boat. He reached her quarters and saw her pull a rucksack out from one of the cupboards.
"I'm ready," she told him as though nothing was happening.
Tim grabbed her arm and pulled her out, "Come on. The Captain will kill me if I don't get you to the launch bay."
Kate nodded and they ran through the boat together, keeping each other up as the boat rocked and shook. They reached the launch bay and Hitchcock glared at them but said nothing as they ran into the launch allowing her to close the doors.
x
As they left the Seaquest for the last time Kate looked around the small shuttle, Krieg was looking after Darwin while Kristin had her arm wrapped around a shell-shocked Lucas. When she got to Bill she had a few choice words to say to him for blurting out the fact that Dr Wolenczak was probably dead in front of Lucas. She glanced up at Tim who was obviously not happy with her right now.
"I'm sorry," she whispered to him, "But this is something I can't lose."
He looked down at her still frowning."
"Anything could have happened and we might not have made it to the launch," Tim reminded her.
"What do you want from me?" Kate snapped, keeping her voice low so no one overheard, "I've apologised and I didn't ask you to come with me."
Tim shook his head, "Your bruises have just faded."
Realisation struck her and Kate squeezed his hand not saying another word as they waited to hit land. Finally the launch beached and everyone was allowed to leave, Kate grabbed Tim's arm and yanked him to one side away from where everyone else had congregated.
"Tim, I am not a child," she told him sternly, "What is in this bag is so important me I was willing to risk my life to get it."
He nodded, "Okay."
"That's it?"
Tim nodded again, "Because I know it's pointless arguing with you."
Kate was about to reply when another launch appeared, their discussion forgotten they both ran.
x
"Where's Nathan?" Kristin was demanding as Kate and Tim ran over.
"Out there," Ford told her, pointing out to the sea.
Kate stared at him, "Why?"
"Autopilot was gone," Ford told her.
He didn't have a chance to continue as an explosion rocked the world around them. Kate reached out and grabbed Tim's arm, he moved and let her lean against him as she tried to understand what had just happened.
Silence settled across the beach as the crew of the Seaquest processed the loss of their home and the loss of their captain. Kate closed her eyes as Tim hugged her; Nathan had been a rock for her for so long she couldn't quite get her head around losing him.
A soft gasp of shock from Lucas made Kate pull back and she laughed in astonishment as she saw the Stinger slide onto the beach. She pulled away from Tim and ran across the beach just behind Kristin who was following Lucas.
Reaching them Kate threw her hands in the air, "Seriously?"
Nathan patted her hand as he leaned back relieved.
Nathan smiled as Kate appeared at the door to the small office he was using. It always surprised him when he saw the poised young woman in front of him, for some reason he still expected to see the smug girl who had once stolen his wallet before leaving him stranded in the middle of nowhere.
"Come in," he motioned her to the seat across from him.
Kate closed the door and sat down, "So, why am I here? Since you destroyed the Seaquest I have to find a new job. Unlike the rest of the crew I don't automatically get a new posting."
Nathan chuckled, "I wouldn't be so sure about that."
Kate leaned back in her chair suspicion covering her face, "And that would mean what exactly?"
"We're building a new Seaquest," Nathan told her, "And Bill has agreed that I can assemble a team to put it together. I've got Ford, O'Neill, Ortiz, Lucas but I still need an engineer."
"Me?"
"Well Hitchcock has her own command now and she trained you," Nathan reminded her, "I know you have other options, Kate but you belong on the Seaquest. Think of all the things that you felt could have been better and we can work on it."
Kate licked her lips as she mused.
"You can have some time to think," Nathan told her, "If you need it."
A smile covered Kate's face, "I don't need to think about it. Just don't expect me to call you Captain."