A Different Start
Season 1
Rated G
An alternative ELFish angsty bit to the end of the pilot episode.

~ * ~

‘Commander’ Bridger beckoned the XO over ‘now things have calmed down somewhat, I’d like you to come with me to the wardroom’.

‘Sir’ Ford replied and letting Hitchcock know where they would be, the two men left the bridge of seaQuest.



Ford stood alongside Bridger who was perched at the end of the table and trying to control his irritation.

‘Bill, that’s all well and good, but there is no way, and I can’t emphasis this enough, that I am taking command of this vessel with that child on board. Either he goes or I go. Period.’

Noyce rubbed his chin, a gesture Nathan knew well to be a sign his friend was vexed. He looked to Jonathan ‘Commander, you’ve been on the boat a few weeks with him, what’s your opinion?’

Ford nodded slightly and looked briefly at Bridger and then returned his attention to Noyce. ‘Well Admiral, there’s no doubting his talent, and he has the ability to carry out any task he’s been assigned so far… but - and this is a big but - he’s young, excitable, cocky, undisciplined…’

‘Thank you Commander, I get the idea’ Bill interrupted. Again he stroked his chin.

‘It’s a little complicated’ he continued after a pause ‘as I said earlier, Lucas’ father, Dr Lawrence Wolenczak is a big cheese in UEO funding circles and in return the organisation has contracted out various big projects to his company. A recent project signed off by the UEO required intense and detailed planning, bargaining and compromises. One of the most significant offers made by Wolenczak – and accepted unconditionally by the UEO – was full and total custody of his son, who was at that time completing his MS at Stanford. His grades and performance were already being monitored with great interest by many organisations, and such an offer was too good to pass up’.

Before he could carry on, Bridger stood and approached the screen ‘Correct me if I’m wrong Bill, but 12 years ago a child wasn’t a commodity to be traded and haggled over. How dare you, and the UEO, wilfully take part in such an exchange’.

‘If it hadn’t been us, Nathan, it would have been another research institution, another funding council.’

‘I don’t care! Why or how could you think the UEO or seaQuest would be a sensible place to put him? If he’s as good as you say, shouldn’t he be starting on his doctoral studies in academia somewhere?’

Noyce nodded in agreement to Bridger’s questions ‘you’re right, he probably should be, but his father thinks he’s too uncontrollable in behaviour and intellect and needs grounding, guidance, hierarchy and so forth. All present in seaQuest along with ample opportunities for the young man to see the world and work on his technological inventions like the vocoder.’ Noyce looked hopefully at the captain.

Bridger sighed and sat in a chair as Ford spoke. ‘I’m not a father myself, but those qualities you say are in Lucas sound like pretty standard behavioural patterns for a 15, 16 year old boy’.

‘Ain’t that the truth’ Bridger could be heard to mutter.

‘Why should his father wash his hands of his responsibilities? And where is his mother in all of this?’ Ford asked.

Noyce held up his hand ‘I know what you’re both saying but the contracts are signed and binding, he’s ours whether you approve or not. His father seems to have seen the exchange as fair and beneficial for all concerned, and as for his mother’ Noyce shrugged ‘her signature came back on the custody consent papers quickly with no questions asked. I know the parents are divorced so I guess mother and son aren’t too close’.

Ford turned to Bridger ‘I’m pretty certain neither parent has called Lucas since he’s been on board’

‘So? And?’ Bridger looked between the Commander and Bill ‘This is a submarine not a borstal for unwanted children. I don’t want him here if I’m captain, so you can find him another project to play in’. He directed his final comment at Noyce.

‘Fine, I’ll let the Board know and we’ll ship him off a.s.a.p. ‘ Noyce said resignedly ‘would you like to tell him or shall I?’

Nathan nodded as he stood to leave ‘I’ll do it, thank you. I’ll let you know when he’s ready to leave’

‘Oh and welcome to seaQuest Captain’ Bill smiled at his friend before closing the connection.



Nathan turned to Ford but it was Jonathan who said what they both thought ‘You’ve done the right thing, he has to go’.

‘I know, I just hope he understands’ and with that Ford made his way back to the bridge, whilst Bridger went to track down Lucas.

~ * ~

Dr Westphalen turned at the sound of the lab door opening and smiled at the visitor.

‘Captain, what can I do for you?’

‘I’m trying to find Lucas, but so far no luck. Since he’s in your charge I was holding onto some faint hope that you might know where he is?’

Westphalen shook her head ‘Ah yes, the elusive Wolenczak. The boy’s usually either around here or the moonpool, but I suppose you’ve checked there already?’

‘He’s not been there for over an hour. Where else do you think he’d be, in the canteen?’

Westphalen laughed as she pulled off the new prints from the computer ‘hardly, it’s a miracle that he’s can still stand and think the amount he remembers to eat. I have to spend half my time shepherding him to lunch, dinner or bed’.

‘Well not anymore’ Nathan told her.

‘Oh?’ Westphalen paused as she hunted for a stapler ‘is he getting a nanny?’

‘Ha, no, quite the opposite actually. I don’t think he’s suitable for this boat and UEO missions, and the fact that he can’t even be trusted to feed himself only reinforces my doubts. I’ve talked to Noyce and he’s to be sent back as soon as I can find him, before we find ourselves in anymore scrapes’.

Nathan was surprised by the look of dismay that crossed the face of the doctor. ‘I’d thought you’d be pleased. At least you could get on with your own work without having to monitor his welfare’.

Kristen sat upon her lab stool. ‘I’ve grown to rather liking the boy. He’s like a wild spark of untamed intellectual energy, and it’s quite fun and stimulating to be a part of that. What a pity he has to leave – is he going back to his father’s?’

Bridger shook his head ‘I don’t know, but I doubt it. By the sounds of it, the UEO have custody, so Admiral Noyce will have to find him somewhere else to go’.

‘That’s horrible, poor boy, being shunted about from place to place like a spare part, he’ll be heartbroken. I’m sure he was quite excited to have the chance to work with Darwin and get to see all he mysteries of the ocean first hand’.

Nathan felt bitterness take seed at the impossible position Lucas’ father had unwittingly left him in. ‘I’m sure he’s tough enough to take it on the chin, he seemed quite self-assertive when I met him yesterday’.

‘Ah, don’t be fooled by that cocky exterior Captain. It’s just a cover for a bewildered boy faltering in an unfamiliar world. He’s been around adults for a long time, but he always had respect and understanding at school. Here, he’s just an irritant, a geek, a child and although he probably wouldn’t admit it, he’s lost. Be gentle when you tell him, it must be terribly upsetting to be told you have to leave the only solid thing in your life when you have no home’. Westphalen looked concerned. ‘Would you like me to come with you?’

‘No, thanks though, and I’ll bear in mind what you’ve said’ Nathan turned and didn’t reply when Kristen said as he walked through the door

‘You shouldn’t think of his age, Captain, think of his potential’.

~ * ~

Nathan Bridger ignored the surprising sensation of paternal concern which clouded his mind as he made his way to Mammal Engineering, walking slower and slower. He stopped. How was he going to break it to him? He hadn’t actually thought about the mechanics of the whole thing… how would he react if he became very angry, violent even? Or, god-forbid, the boy looked like he might cry? He sighed and steeled himself for the depressing task and knocked on Lucas’ door.

‘Yeah?’ a voice yelled from inside. Bridger pulled open the door and walked into an unbelievable explosion of clothes, books, journals, bits of electronic equipment and old cups of tea.

‘Good god! How the hell can you find anything in here?’ Nathan looked around in disbelief ‘I mean, why don’t you put this away?’ he held up a small box of data-ports balanced dangerously on a pile of assorted rubbish.

'’Tis away’ Lucas grinned ‘anyway, see this?’ He pointed to one of several screens lined up on a desk wired to a profusion of loudly humming hardware. ‘I’ve cannibalised theoretical principles of ‘Backus-Naur Form’ which is a way of representing a language and its grammar. Usually BNF grammar consists of production rules, which are themselves, are made up of terminal and non-terminal symbols used to generate sentences…’ He stopped as he turned and saw Bridger’s face. ‘Um, was there something else sir?’

‘Yes, actually there is Lucas’ and he tried to clear a spot to sit down on Lucas’ bunk. ‘I’ve been talking to Commander Ford and Admiral Noyce and together we’ve come to a difficult decision regarding your position here’.

Lucas said nothing but worry showed on his face.

‘I’m sorry to tell you Lucas, but I’m afraid you can no longer stay aboard the seaQuest. Arrangements are being made to have you taken upworld as soon as you’re packed.’

Still Lucas said nothing but slowly his head dropped and he started to fiddle with his shirt hem.

He waited for Lucas to respond and eventually he whispered without looking up ‘Why? What did I do this time?’

Bridger was caught out by the hurt in the boy’s voice, and had a sinking feeling this wasn’t the first time he’d unexpectedly been told to go.

‘It isn’t anything you’ve done specifically, it’s just you’re very young and immature for this type of job, and I…’

Lucas looked up and although his eyes brimmed with disappointed tears they also fired with indignation. ‘I may be the youngest on this boat but I’m not afraid. I’ll do anything you need me to and I’m better at tons more stuff than you think, ask Dr Westphalen, she’s been surprised.’ The tears, to Lucas’ annoyance started to drop from his eyes and he wiped them away. ‘Don’t do this, please. I won’t let you down and I can’t let my father down – he’ll think I blew it’ and Nathan watched Lucas try to pull himself under control. After a moment he added ‘Captain, I don’t have anywhere to go. My dad doesn’t want me around, my mother hasn’t even called me in months and I don’t have a place on any doctoral program yet’.

Nathan heard panic and wished he had something more certain to tell him. ‘I’m sorry Lucas, the UEO will find somewhere for you…you should pack otherwise you’ll leave the shuttle waiting’ and with that, the captain stood and didn’t dare look at the distraught child as he left his quarters.

~ * ~

Bridger watched the screen of topographic data from the WSKRs with glazed eyes, unable to concentrate. Constant images of Lucas confused and crestfallen, packing up his room, sat alone on a shuttle with a vague future, possible weeks of being planted here and there with no firm scope to occupy his extraordinary mind, his father’s unwarranted disappointment dwelled in mind.

His mental reel of despondence was broken by Kristen tapping him on the shoulder ‘So, how did it go?’

‘Oh, you know, it was hard, but I think he understands’ Bridger fumbled. He knew he hadn’t tackled the situation well, or at least as well as the doctor could have, but what needed to be said was said.

‘You went through with it then. Shame. Well I hope you know what you’re throwing away Nathan Bridger; one of the world’s most incredible scientific minds and a very nice, bit uncontrollable, lonely boy’.

They looked at one another for a minute.

‘Boy, do know how to push the right buttons’ Bridger said in exasperation and stood up, watching Dr Westphalen smile ‘One month and then the situation will be re-assessed. And no promises’.

Ford turned and raised an eyebrow but didn’t disagree. Bridger shook his head at the mess he was making, and he retraced his steps to Mammal Engineering.



Upon opening the door, he found Lucas amid even more chaos than before as clothes were heaped up and all the electronic components were unplugged and lying about in a variety of piles. Lucas himself was sat in the far corner, almost under the desk.

‘Hi’ Bridger said as he picked his way over then stopped. ‘Are you alright Lucas?’ he asked concerned by the red eyes and a look of torn misery on the young face.

Lucas wiped a dusty tear-streaked cheek ‘Yeah, I guess I should be used to this by now’.

‘Used to what?’ Bridger was weighted by remorse, and wished he had considered the situation more carefully before blundering about and sending his youngest crewmember into such a crisis of despair.

‘Being pushed away, rejected, being told I’m not wanted anymore’ he paused and sighed, and started to gather up some scart leads ‘I guess this is what you mean by being too immature. I’m sure you don’t have to watch O’Niell or Ortiz crying like 10 year olds’. He gave an embittered laugh and stood up. ‘Anyway, I haven’t finished packing yet, the computer’s going to take…’

‘Oh, no, it’s OK, you don’t have to finish that. We’ve reconsidered the situation and I think it would be only fair to give you a month’s probation, and we’ll assess your position after that.’

Lucas looked briefly perplexed and then relieved, a small timid smile forming on his lips. He seemed to want to speak, but couldn’t for fear of breaking down. After a pause, he took Bridger by surprise be throwing his arms around the captain’s neck. ‘Thank you’ he whispered quietly into Bridger’s shoulder. Almost by instinct Bridger wrapped his arms around Lucas’ body and held him tightly, wanting to hold him to take away all the pain he’d unnecessarily caused. He enveloped him in parental warmth and was reminded of the times when he had wanted to hold his son, but Robert had never liked tactile contact from his father and Bridger had often felt at a loss at how to behave around him. But Lucas obviously needed to be held now and Bridger gladly obliged, taken aback by how wonderful it was to feel Lucas this close to him.

Minutes passed as they remained in their embrace, until Lucas shyly pulled back.

‘I guess we all occasionally miss being hugged by our parents’ Nathan remarked.

Lucas snorted ‘Hardly. My parents never touched me. I guess they thought because I was smart that I didn’t need baby stuff like that’.

Bridger considered the reality of what growing must have been like for the lonely young genius, never really fitting in, never being loved like a child. He shook his head. ‘If you ever need a hug again, you know where to find me. Although not on the bridge, that might cause a few raised eyebrows!’ He returned Lucas’ warm smile ‘see you for dinner in two hours Kiddo, and don’t make me come get you’.

He closed the cabin door on Lucas who was already trying to guess into which terminal his lead should go.

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