My Quest.
I couldn’t believe it. I had finally made it aboard
seaQuest. For so many years I had studied, hoping and praying that when
I was through I would get to work on that magnificent boat, that boat I’d heard
so much about. And now my dream has come true.
I had thought that in order to get aboard seaQuest
I would have to join the UEO and I did not want to do that, not to mention that
I was too young. Of course, when I first heard about seaQuest, it was
just a dream. My father was friends with the person whose brainchild was seaQuest
and they often talked about it when he came over for dinner. In fact, it was at
one of those dinners that my father was told that if seaQuest ever
became a reality, he would design the regenerative skin. I was fortunate that
they let me listen in. I guess they didn’t think of me as a security leak or
something. Eventually I became wrapped up in seaQuest. Not only was it
Nathan Bridger’s dream, but mine as well. But I was just a youngster and could
do nothing about it. So I put it aside and started my education. Then during my
last years at school I heard that the seaQuest was not just a reality
but that it was also changing over from a military warship to a scientific
research vessel. My father had indeed designed the skin. And he never told me!
What was more of a shock was that Nathan Bridger had returned to the service.
When I learned this, my father reluctantly told me that he was part of it. He
had received a call to join the science team now being formed on the new seaQuest.
He agreed, thinking that it was just an incredible opportunity, he didn’t know
it was to lure Bridger back to command. How could he resist working on
something he helped to create? No one ever thought that Bridger would come out
of hiding and yet he had taken command of his brainchild. This was more that I
ever could imagine. With this dream come true, I realized that this was my
chance to study something interesting in a place that fascinated me. And I’d
also be working along side of my father. After all, it’s beneath the surface
that lies the future.
Now, here I am and I am still in shock. This place
is absolutely amazing.
"Hello. Welcome aboard the seaQuest,"
says a voice behind me. I whirl around. I see a woman in her mid-forties. She’s
wearing the light blue uniform of the science-team underneath a white lab coat.
Her hair is pulled back in a low pony-tail. Her face is warm and friendly but I
can tell that she is very businesslike. A very distinguished looking woman,
handsome even. She reminds of what an aunt or professor should be.
"I’m Dr. Kristin Westphalen. You must be the
new addition to the science team."
"Uh, yeah." Then I realize my manners and
offer my hand, after putting my bag down. "I’m Cristina Hadding, I mean
Dr. Cristina Hadding." Then I say half to myself but still out loud,
"Wow, Doctor. I still haven’t gotten used to it."
She smiles warmly and says, "I know what you
mean. It took me while to get used to it, too. I’ve heard you’re here to study
whales, is that true? Come let me show you to your quarters, then I can show
you the lab."
"Yes, I am." I pick up my bags to follow
but almost run into her. Standing in front of her was a young guy. He looks to
be about sixteen, three years younger than me. ‘Wow’ I think. He has got the
most incredible blue eyes. The kind of eyes you could get lost in. And that hair!
Oh, I just want to run my fingers through it. And that smile! Am I a puddle
yet? Okay, get a hold of yourself Cristy. You will not fall to pieces.
The doctor looks at him, then at me, then back at
him. "Have you met Dr. Hadding?"
"No, I haven’t," he says. She then
introduces us and tells me that he knows more about the boat than anyone else.
"Lucas, would you care to show Dr. Hadding
around?"
"But I thought there was work to be
done?" I ask.
"It can wait a while. After all, you’re only
young once. Why don’t the two of you go?" Before she leaves she says
"When you’re ready, he’ll show you to the lab."
The two of us stood there in silence. All we did
was stare awkwardly at the floor. And at the ceiling. And at other people.
Anything but each other. Finally we speak...at the same time. We then motion
for each other to go first. Smiling, he insists I go because I am new. So, I
do. In fact, I talk so much I embarrass myself. "So, you’re knowledgeful
of the boat? There must be some things you can tell me that I don’t already
know. You have to realize that once I found out that She was real, I
learned all I could. This was of course during my spare time, when I wasn’t
reading or studying for my degrees. Actually most of that wasn’t even really
work. I really had a challenge when I went for my zoology degree. There was so
much to remember. Even still, with all that work, I found time to read up on
the latest in physics and chemistry. I’m sorry, I must sound like a babbling
idiot who has a really big head." I stop and take a deep breath.
He looks at me and chuckles.
"It’s okay, really. You should be proud. Let’s
go find your quarters before they kick us off deck." He picks up my bags,
looks in one direction, then another. "Where are your quarters?"
This was my turn to laugh. I fish out my papers and
show him.
"Oh, okay. Right this way." We start
walking and strike up a conversation.
"I’ve read up on your father. He seems to be
quite a man."
"He’s a real prince," he says in a
sarcastic tone.
"I was more intrigued at the mention of his
genius son." Silence. "What’s your special field?"
"I ... uh ... I never considered it a special
field but I guess it’s Artificial Intelligence. I got my degree from Stanford
last year. I tried the Ph.D. program at MIT but ... it just didn’t work out. Of
course my one degree doesn’t hold up against yours. They say you’re the
youngest person to hold multiple degrees. Just how many do you hold? What is
your "Dr." for, Doctor?"
I laugh. "Please, call me Cristy. Doctor just
doesn’t fit me." I smile as I pause. "Well, I’ve got 3 doctrines;
zoology, marine science, and musical performance. Zoology came from UMaine,
marine science came from UCLA, and musical performance from Juliart. In the
little spare time I had, I satisfied my curiosity for other things. I learned
all I could in languages, astronomy, and geology. There were so many things
interested me. I found it hard to focus on what I was paying to learn. I also
enjoy cooking, reading, and long romantic evenings."
"My God, were you ever a kid?"
"Of course I was, I just wasn’t like others. I
did go out on occasion."
"So, how did you do it all?"
"I just had a knack for it. How’s the best way
to explain it ... do you remember a show from the early 1990s? It was about a genius
who became a doctor at sixteen, Doogie Howser M.D.?"
He gives me a blank look.
"Well, I guess I always was into obscure old
shows. Anyway, the character scored perfect on the SAT tests at six years old,
breezed through high school in nine weeks, delivered his first child as a
doctor at fourteen, and that sort of was my life. Actually, mine went by much
faster. I truthfully don’t know how I managed it, I just did. But enough about
me. Tell me about you, the ship, everything."
"Well, where to start?" He smiles.
I try my best to pay attention but I just can’t get
past how fine he is. I do catch clips every now and then. He knows his way
around software and even admits he’s a hacker. seaQuest was commissioned
three years ago and is 1,000 feet long. The MAG-LEV takes you very quickly from
one end of the boat to the other. The aqua-tunnels allow Darwin, the dolphin,
access almost everywhere. Everything is overwhelming. Hmm, Darwin, I’ll have to
meet him.
I also manage to overhear some of the conversations
of other crew members. Most I couldn't care less about but once I hear
"Who’s that girl Lucas is with?" I pay close attention.
"I think she’s the new doctor. I hear she’s a
genius, even smarter than Lucas. I guess that’s why he’s paying so much
attention to her. Besides the fact that she is young and beautiful."
"Tell me about it. It will be nice to have a
deep intellectual conversation with someone."
"Conversation, right."
"I mean it. She’d have a very captive audience
with me."
"Only if Lucas let’s you get near her. I have
never seen him be so polite and respectful. He hasn’t left her side since she
got on board. Maybe she’s got a doctrine in witchcraft. Maybe she cast a spell
on him."
"Well, she’s definitely bewitched him. And me.
And she hasn’t even been on long."
"Yeah, I know what you mean." The second
guy says with a laugh as they walk out of earshot.
I swear I blush at all they say. Then I wonder what
they mean. What is Lucas normally like, if this is special treatment? I thought
it was just common courtesy. Then again, there is something more. He seems very
friendly but I’m biased. I’m quite fond of him.
"Here we are, your quarters."
I look up to see an ordinary submarine door. It
looks no different from any other door. He turns the wheel and we walk through.
The room isn’t extraordinary. But that’s only
because I haven’t decorated it yet. It’s a touch small but at least I’ve got my
own room. It’s also a good thing I’m not claustrophobic.
He puts my bags down and says "Well, it’s not
the Tajma Hall but it’s bigger that a broom closet."
"Not by much. Definitely can’t be
claustrophobic."
He smiles. "No you can’t be. Actually you have
a big room. Compare to mine, it’s a regular apartment."
"You must have one small room."
"I do. I can show it to you during your tour
of the ship..."
"Sure."
So, we do that. Our tour starts at the MAG-LEV. It
quickly takes us to the Bridge, where we officially start. He figured we’d
start at the most important aspect of the boat and then work our way around.
The Bridge is filled with state of the art
technology. I see screens all over the place alive with all sorts of
information I can’t comprehend. I look over to Lucas who has, I swear, a look
of pride on his face. Just past him I notice an older man bent over behind
another man working at his station. I recognize the one working as one of the
crew members talking about me. I recognize the other as someone else, someone
from my past. I can’t resist any longer and, without warning, I say:
"What’s an old man like you doing on a boat
like this? Shouldn’t you be in a home for senility?"
All activity stops. I try my best to hold back a
smile as I watch all eyes move slowly from their workstations to him, to me,
and then to him again. Lucas looks at me with terrified shock in his eyes.
"Cristy...Doctor! " he says in
barely audible tones, "That’s the Captain!"
"Oh I know," I wink at him. With his eyes
wide, he looks scared.
The Captain then turns around, studies me, and
walks closer.
"Captain, I’m sorry..." Lucas starts but the
Captain holds up his hand.
He pauses a moment to think and then says:
"What gives you the right to come aboard my
boat and talk to me in that manner?"
There was no anger in his voice, just mild
annoyance. Anyone else would have been unnerved but not me.
"My father and his signature on the skin of your
boat," I say strong and steady.
I see a hint or recognition in his eyes.
"Your not...?"
My smile grows from ear to ear and my eyes start to
sparkle.
"Yup. It’s me Uncle Nathan."
"It can’t be! Little Crissy? You’re supposed
to be only seven years old!"
The crew relaxes but still watches us.
I roll my eyes, "That was twelve years
ago!"
"Come hear!" He pulls me in for a hug.
"It’s so good to see you!" We part but he still holds me by the
shoulders. "But that still doesn’t explain why you’re here."
"Lucas is showing me around. I’m the new doctor."
"You?! I heard someone new was coming aboard but they refused to tell me.
Kept claiming it was a surprise."
"I asked Dad to have them keep it quiet. It
was a bit of a struggle but I really wanted it to be a surprise."
"And a nice one it was. How did you manage to
get here?"
"I requested it." He looks puzzled.
"When I graduated they asked me where I’d like to work, and I said seaQuest."
He looks like he’s about to say something but stops
and looks around the Bridge, his Bridge. Everyone is still staring.
"Excuse me, but don’t you all have jobs to
do?" They quickly return to work at their stations. He turns to me with an
apologetic face.
"I have so many questions but it will have to
be later. I’m a little busy here."
"Say no more, I understand. It’s not like I
can run away or anything."
He smiles and turns to Lucas. "Take good care
of her Lucas, she’s like a daughter to me."
"Yes, sir." We turn around and leave the
Bridge. As we walk back to the MAG-LEV he asks:
"So, how do you know the Captain?"
"It’s a long story," I say as we enter
the MAG-LEV.
"I’ve got time... as you said to the Captain
earlier, it’s not like I can run away or anything..."
"Okay then," I take a deep breath and
start my story.
"A long time ago, in a far away land," I
smile, "there was a family of five."
"Your family," he says to himself.
"The father was a scientific engineer, the mother
was a domestic engineer, the children an unusual variety. One a genius, two
above average."
"Your father, your mother, and...?"
"I was the genius, my sister above average, my
brother above average. Anyway,
during the course of the father’s career, they met
a rare breed of man who was military but also science."
"Bridger," he mutters, waiting for me to get to the point.
"This man eventually developed a friendship
with the father, and was often invited over for dinner. He became a close
member of the family, honorary uncle. And that’s how I know the Captain."
"Very cool. You said something about your
father’s signature on the skin of this boat. What did he do, sign it?"
"In a way. He designed it. He came up with how
to have an organic skin on an inorganic machine. Uncle Nathan,-Bridger as you
referred to him, asked my father to do it."
"I’d like to meet your father."
"I’m sure you will."
We step out of the MAG-LEV and head down the
hallway. I can’t help admiring all that I see around me. The grating that is
the floor, the pipes along the ceiling, the aqua-tunnel right next to us. All
of sudden I see movement out of the corner of my eye, it is a dolphin swimming
through the tunnels! I stop in my tracks and practically press my nose up
against the glass.
"Is that Darwin?" I say. My voice full of
wonder.
"I was wondering when he’d show up. You want
to meet him? Actually, you’ll probably end up working with him."
"Really? Let’s go then!"
We start walking in the direction Darwin was
swimming. Before long we wind up in some sort of laboratory. The sign I read
says SeaDeck.
"Is this where I’ll be working?"
"Most likely. This is where most of the
scientists work."
Out of the corner of my eye I see Dr. Westphalen.
She is busy at work at one of her labs. Upon hearing us talk, she looks up.
"Ah, I see you’ve brought her here. Ready for
work?"
"I suppose, if you need me, but I’d love to
see the rest of the boat."
"Certainly. Well, if you’re not ready to work,
what are you here for?"
"Lucas is going to introduce me to Darwin."
I smile.
"Of course, it was inevitable that you two
should meet. Enjoy."
She looks back down and intently studies the
specimen under her microscope. Lucas is already over at the pool, fiddling with
a yellow device and calling out Darwin’s name.
"What is that?"
"This is a vocoder. It translates Darwin’s
clicks and whistles into understandable speech patterns, and vice versa."
"Very cool," I say. He smiles. "I
remember Uncle Nathan talking about developing something like this, but
couldn’t get the right configuration."
"Yeah, instead he used hand signals. I
developed the vocoder, it still has a few bugs but for the most part, it
works."
"Impressive. And Darwin will come here?"
"Right here to the Moon Pool."
Just as I nod in acknowledgment, the shiny, slippery,
gray fellow swims up to us. He squeals a greeting.
"Darwin, this is Dr. Cristina Hadding. She
will be working with you from time to time. She’s here to study whales."
"Hi Darwin. It’s very nice to meet you."
He squeals and then says:
"Lucas girl."
Puzzled, I look to Lucas.
"It could mean a number of things." He
pushes a few buttons, "What does that mean, ‘Lucas girl’?"
"Has head like Lucas."
Lucas still looks puzzled but I understand.
"Do you mean that I’m smart like Lucas?"
Darwin nods.
"He’s just saying that we both are of same
intelligence. I am your female counterpart." I smile.
I hear squeals and clicks and then:
"Lucas...mate?"
Lucas blushes. "He has a tendency to think
that every girl I bring down here is my girlfriend."
"Oh. No Darwin, I’m not his mate...yet."
Lucas blushes even redder, even I blush at my
comment.
This, of course, leaves us with an uncomfortable
silence. But a voice over the communication systems saves us from any further
embarrassment.
"Dr. Hadding to the bridge."
I am slightly taken back by this, "My first
day and I’m already in trouble with the principal," I smile, "Can you
help me find my way to the bridge from here? I haven’t mastered my sense of
direction."
Lucas nods, and heads for the door, with me behind
him.
We walk onto the bridge and confusion surrounds us.
Everyone is shouting out vital pieces of information to a situation that I have
no clue about.
" Uncle- Captain, you called for me?"
"Crissy, er, Doctor, yes I did. It seems we
have a predicament that fits into your area of expertise.