Author's Notes: - Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing.
I hate this chapter – not what I've written but the fact it took me about four attempts to get it done.
Hoping the next one will be easier. Anyway enjoy.
"Come in," Nathan called when someone knocked on the door to the ward room.
Kate appeared in the doorway, "You wanted to see me?"
"Yeah," he waved her to the seat across from him, "Take a seat."
A little bemused she closed the door before taking the seat he offered.
"What did I do?"
He chuckled, "Nothing. Stop being so suspicious."
"You do remember who you're talking to, don't you?" she rolled her eyes before asking, "So if I haven't done anything why am I here?"
Nathan leaned back an amused smile on his face, "You don't remember?"
Confusion covered her face and Kate shook her head, "Enlighten me, Nathan because I have things to do."
"Every few months," Nathan told her with a chuckle, "I like to touch base with the senior members of my crew. You used to schedule the appointments."
"That would be Bailey for engineering," Kate reminded him.
Nathan smiled, "But you're the bridge officer making you part of the senior staff."
Kate stared at him for a moment, "I never thought of that."
"So, how are things going?"
Before Kate could answer music filled the room, amusement filled her eyes as Bridger grimaced.
"I'll bet you anything its Piccolo," Kate chuckled.
Nathan sighed, "Come on."
They started out stopping dead as the lights dimmed and the ship rocked.
x
"What did you hit, Henderson?" Kate demanded as she jogged onto the bridge with Nathan.
"What have we got?" Nathan ignored her. He pushed Kate slightly towards her station before moving to his ExO.
"I'm not sure, Captain," Jonathan told him, "Severe current disturbance ahead. Never seen anything quite like it."
"Hold on a second," Tim suddenly spoke up.
Nathan moved to him instantly, "What is it?"
Tim hesitated for second, "I'm not sure if I remember correctly, Captain. But I think that's Morse Code."
"Let's hear it," Nathan ordered. Tim flipped a switch and the measured beeps filled the air, "That's an SOS call."
"In Morse Code?" Jonathan demanded, "Who uses Morse Code anymore?"
Suddenly a little girl's voice called, "Somebody help me. Is anybody there? Please, help."
Everyone on the bridge shared confused looks and Nathan turned to Tim, "Can you pinpoint that?"
Tim frowned, "Not exactly, sir. It's beyond the disturbance. I can't get an exact fix."
"Don't let us die here," the voice called again, "Please."
Kate shuddered, "Okay, that is getting creepy."
Nathan turned to Henderson, "Do you have a problem crossing that disturbance?"
"All systems look good, sir," she told him.
"It's just a minor disturbance, sir," Miguel spoke up, "Velocity indicators indicate a slight chip at the centre."
"Not a problem," Henderson assured them.
The voice came again, "Can anybody hear me? Please, help me."
Nathan rested his hand on Kate's shoulder, "That's beginning to creep me out too. Engines ahead one third. Keep the same bearing. If she bucks reverse full."
x
Kate stood looking at the schematics for the town while she tried to access the city's main computer system, glancing round as Nathan appeared at her side.
"What are you thinking?" he asked.
Kate looked up at him sideways, "Do you really want to know?"
Nathan frowned at her, "Just…"
"A whole town with nobody in it," Kate chuckled, "It's like a thief's Christmas."
"Kate," he growled warningly.
She chuckled at him, "You should have sent me with them, I could access this easier from inside the building. Not to mention the only one I trust not to fall over their own feet is Miguel."
"Unfortunately it would look a bit suspicious if I did," Nathan reminded her, "Just keep working on penetrating the security system so we know what's going on."
Kate nodded, "I'll do my best."
Squeezing her shoulder Nathan left her alone.
"What are you thinking?"
Kate pulled her eyes away from the supercomputer and turned to Nathan, "Lucas's newest crush is conning us."
Nathan raised a questioning eyebrow, "What makes you so sure?"
"The whole we have to save the future so there is a past?" Kate rolled her eyes in disgust, "What a crock. Personally I think that it's using us."
Nathan gave a soft shrug, "But we can't return home. There is nothing there. Ford and O'Neill have found nothing with all their tests."
"I can't believe you're being this naïve," Kate told him in bemusement, "This thing brought us here. Of course it can send us back. It's just choosing not to at the moment."
Nathan rested his hands on her shoulders, "Keep that to yourself for now."
"What?"
"Kate, Centsys is our only way home," he reminded her, "I don't think we should make her angry."
"Yes, sir," she threw at him as he walked away.
"And I can do without the sarcasm."
x
"You wish to ask me something?"
Kate jumped slightly when the computer spoke to her but rallied quickly checking the room was empty.
"What do your records say about me?" she asked.
Centsys seemed to hesitate for a moment before answering, "Katherine 'Kate' Foster, civilian engineer on Seaquest."
Kate let out a soft breath however Centsys wasn't finished.
"Also known as Kate King, Anne Malcolm, Donna Evans, Kate Tolstoy, Kate Robertson, Sophie Kincaid and Sophie Patterson," the computer concluded, "I have a sealed police record under several of those names on file."
"Keep it sealed," Kate stated coldly, pleased that only a few of her aliases were known even now, "And if you reveal any of that information to anyone else I will take axe to your processors. Understand?"
There was a pause and Kate smiled slightly when the computer stated, "Understood."
Lucas arrived back suddenly giving Kate a grin as he set up the equipment for the diagnostics he wanted to run.
"Did she say anything since I've been gone?" he asked.
Kate gave him a slight smile, "Not a word."
Kate sat in the commissary alone musing over recent events. Someone bumping the table made her turn where she saw Dagwood looking apologetic.
"Sorry," he said softly.
A smile touched Kate's lips, "It's okay, Dagwood. Do you want to join me?"
"Hmm…okay."
When he sat beside her Kate pulled one leg up wrapping her arms around it and leaning her chin on her knee.
"Are you happy here, Dagwood?" she asked.
The big man nodded, "Dagwood has many friends here. They do not make fun of him and include him."
A smile touched her lips at his answer though she was surprised when he suddenly asked.
"Are you happy, Kate?"
Before she could answer the room was suddenly filled with noise as Tim, Miguel, Lucas, Tony and Henderson wandered in all chatting.
"I thought it was quite romantic," Lonnie sighed dreamily as the group all found seats, "The only way we were able to come home was for those two kids to fall in love."
Kate rolled her eyes, "Okay, Miguel," she turned to the man who had sat at her side, "Beat me unconscious so I don't have to listen to any more."
Tim, Miguel and Lucas chuckled while Tony looked confused and Lonnie looked offended.
"You don't think it was romantic?" Lonnie demanded.
Kate snorted derisively, Miguel and Tim both winced.
"I think it was nonsense," Kate replied coolly, "Centsys could have sent us home at any time. There was no way those kids were the last people on Earth and were going to be the new Adam and Eve."
"And I thought the Commander was cynical," Tony noted with a shake of his head.
"Kate is not cynical," Miguel caught Kate's hand pulling her to her feet. He walked around behind her wrapping an arm around her waist, "No, no," he put on a fake French accent, "Kate, eez a realist. Romance eez not a word in her vocabulary," he spun Kate before dipping her, "Though many a bad word is."
"Let me up, you idiot," Kate chuckled, smacking his arm while he flicked his eyebrows at her. When Miguel tugged her back up Kate waved him away.
"Are we watching a movie?" Lucas demanded, "Or what?"
"As long as those two don't choose," Miguel waved at Kate and Tim.
Kate rolled her eyes, "Persecuted for having good taste. Miguel, you have every bad movie ever made so it's your choice."
With a nod he started out, as the others followed Kate watched them talking and laughing.
"Dagwood," she caught the large man's arm, "I am very happy here."