In Sudden Silence

Disclaimer: I do not own SeaQuest or its characters and I am not making any profit.. blah blah.. oh wait, that was the blah blah.

Tim O'Neill stood a few metres apart from his friends and crew-mates on a small patch of grass on the peak of a mountain, looking over into the large valley that dipped between the two cliffs. It wasn't quite like the great canyon, but it was good to outside enjoying some real nature for a change.

Grouped together behind Tim stood the token female Lonnie Henderson, teenager Lucas Wolenczak and his room mate, Tony Piccilo. Tim shoved his hands into his khaki pockets as the wind whipped his hair. Behind him he could hear Lucas' baratone voice as it resonated through the wind, being picked up and carried away over to the other side of the cliff.

He watched as Commander Ford came over to them, presumably returning from the peace talks up at the resort. The four of them didn't mind in the least that they would probably have to wait out here a while longer. They could enjoy the serene surroundings along with several other civillians group on the cliff top.

Ford stepped aside as a young mother rushed in front of him in her haste to grab her little boy who was walking too close to the edge. He watched them leave as he headed towards the SeaQuest group.

He nodded as they looked at him questioningly, "Hudson said negotiations are still in process. They'll call us if we're needed."

They all nodded slowly, gathering around each other, looking like almost images of each other in their uniforms.

Ford chuckled gently, the soft air already relaxing him, "Hudson said we can go back to the boat if we want," he shook his head once, "But who wants to do that when we've got a place like this to look at."

"I don't think I've ever seen this much green in my life," Tony commented.

"Yeah, it's pretty amazing," Lucas murmered.

They stood in silence for a few moments, enjoying the atmosphere, and each other's company.

They were interupted by loud screaming, "No, don't! Settle down!"

They all turned toward the direction of a woman squealing at a man who was yelling back. It looked like a serious domestic. None of the crew, nor anyone else on the cliff top were terribly amused.

"Oh my God," Lonnie mumbled her commented as the two looked like they might get physical.

They all shifted over to take a look, Lucas leaning passed Tony and pushing his eyebrows together.

"What the hell is going on over there?" Ford mused. He started advancing towards them as the man power walking towards them and the crowd near them, and the edge of the cliff.

She picked up her dress so she didn't tread on it and chased after him, "No!" she squealed, in the tone of a spoilt child, she ran over and started hitting him. As he managed to get away from her, she looked over at the crowd of people as the man kept walking away and ignoring her, "Someone call the police!" she cried, "He's crazy!"

"He's crazy?" Tony muttered to Lucas.

The younger man glanced at him briefly, but turned back to watch to show.

Noticing the uniformed group she let go of the man and pulled up her dress again, running towards them, "Hey! You have to help us!"

"Oh, no," the man finally took notice of her, "Leave them out of this.. I'm serious. This is ridiculous."

Commander Ford moved closer with his hands up, "Listen, I'm really sorry but this is not an appropriate place for this. I suggest that you and your husband take yourselves and your argument and leave."

The crowd around them was getting bigger, and the irate screams were really ruining the atmosphere on the mountain. Tony blinked incredulously as he saw a flash of someone taking a photo.

"He's not my husband," she told him, gasping, "He's got a bomb under his clothing."

The crowd immediately reacted.

"What!?" The man was as shocked as anyone else, "You're crazy!" He appealed to Commander Ford, "She's crazy!"

"I'm not crazy, please!" she begged.

"Oh for God's sakes it's just an argument," He looked over at the rest of the SeaQuest crew, "She's trying to get me arrested, the stupid bitch!" He came right over to them, as several people in the crowd started to panic and move off. The entire crew back up as the came closer.

"Madame, this is a serious accusation," Ford told her.

She nodded, "I know, he's trying to threaten the negotiation proceedings."

"WHAT negotiation proceedings!?" the man nearly passed out, "Are you joking? What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Sir, settle down," Ford put his hand up.

"She's accusing me of having a god damn bomb under my jacket, Officer! In PUBLIC! Don't tell me to settle down."

The woman turned around to face the angry man and then stepped back from him, almost knocking into Commander Ford on her way through, "God, he's crazy!" she screamed in a high pitch voice again.

Ford noticed the rest of his crew backing up further, trying to keep there distance. He also noticed that if they backed up too much further, they'd be only about five feet from the cliff's edge, and in a situation like this, that was too close.

He brought out his PAL, calling Captain Hudson, "Sir, we have a situation, down here."

The man threw his head back, "Oh, this is humiliating." He looked at Tony, gesturing to the woman, "You know she's even sober!?"

Tony wasnt really sure how to react, he just kept watching them incredulously, wondering why he didn't see this coming. He should've known there'd be a catch to a shoreleave that started out this good. The woman took a few steps away from the man and away from the cliff's face, running diagonally toward the group, "She picked up the sides of her long dress again and looked at them.

"Why aren't you apprehending him??" she demanded.

Ford put his hands up as he put his PAL back, "We need more information, ma’am"

Than man shook his head in exasperation and pulled reached into his pocket. The crowd reacted immediately, gasping and ducking. Ford put his hand near his side arm.

The man growled irritably and took out a pen and a card, "For God's sakes," he snapped. He wrote something on the paper, "Sir, this is my number," he handed the paper to Ford, "I'm going to take her home," At the same time he moved over the grabbed the woman. Frantically, she pulled away and rammed into Lucas who put his arms around her shoulders to calm her.

"Couldn't you have taken her home earlier?" The boy asked, wishing that this could be avoided. This was really unpleasant.

"No, I couldn't have," he grabbed her, "She probably would’ve cried 'rape' and told you I was her father or something."

"No!" She grabbed Lucas uniform jacket as he tried to tug her away.

"Hey!" Ford cried out, "Just leave her alone for the moment, please."

"For Christ sakes!" he snapped, finally fed up with it all and pushed his wife to the ground.

In a sudden, unpredictable motion, he grabbed a fistful of Lucas' shirt and spun him around, tucking a small knife under his neck, "Everyone back right off."

The three SeaQuest officers immediately drew their weapons, aiming it at him.

"I told you, the woman squealed hysterically," from where she was on the ground.

Tony gritted his teeth and rolled his eyes, "Urgh, Shut up!" he muttered.

Lonnie moved over to the woman, still with her gun drawn, and her eyes on the man and his hostage, "Settle down please, you're not helping."

Ford realised that he was standing adjacent to his other two crew members with the cliff behind him and the crowd and the man with the knife in front of him.

He was effectively pointing his gun at the crowd. Making a difficult decision, Ford shifted to his left and turned so that he now stood at the same angle as his fellow crew members.

The man jerked on Lucas' shoulder pulling him around to face them and inched towards the cliff edge.

"Don't move!" Ford yelled forcefully.

Lucas was still recovering from the shock of the sudden antagonist switch between the quarrelling couple.

Ford looked up and noticed Hudson and several other members of the UEO police and SeaQuest combat team head over the hill and into view. Hudson halted the police as he saw the situation and crowd, "Get them out of here!" he ordered them, referring to the crowd.

Officers rushed forward to move the too close crowd away from the scene. Naturally, they were all reluctant to go. The man used the distraction to back further towards the cliff's edge.

"Don’t move!" Tony warned taking a step closer to the two of them, pointing his gun insistently.

The man ignored him, knowing that any warning shot, or shot at all for that matter would frighten the crowd.

Hudson stepped closer towards them, flanked by three other UEO officials. Several combat officers settled in behind them, holding their guns on him.

Tony glanced to his left and noticed that somehow the annoying woman had gone. For some reason he cursed her more than he did the man who was in holding Lucas.

"I suggest you let my Ensign go," Hudson told him calmly, "There's no way out for you."

"What do you mean there's no way out? You don't know why I'm doing this!"

"Then why are you doing this?" Hudson asked him.

"I don't have to tell you," he breathed passed Lucas' ear. His rough and tanned, angry face was a heavy contrast against the young science offer's soft, pale features. He pushed the knife further into Lucas' neck harshly forcing him to pull his head back and took a few more steps back.

"One more step back and you'll fall 12 miles to your death, do you really want that?" Hudson warned.

"I'll be taking your officer with me," he snarled.

"Is that what you want?" Hudson asked him calmly.

"No." He relaxed a bit, and glanced behind him.

At his short distraction Lucas grabbed his opportunity and rammed his elbow into the man's stomach. Grunting and doubling over, the man grabbed a fistful of Lucas' hair to stop him from escaping and used the knife around his soft throat to pull him back towards him. Too afraid that they'd lose his balance and he'd knock them both backwards, Lucas restrained from stomping on his foot.

The man pulled him close to him, his lips against the ear, "I'll cut you're throat!" he whispered manically, "I'll cut you're throat. I swear!"

Lucas gasped as he was pulled up, sweat starting to bead around his hair, realising he'd lost the battle. His eyes shifted to the side to steal a glance at his friends who were powerless to help. They didn’t seem to be embarrassed or disappointed in him.

"Ensign," Lucas finally heard Hudson's voice break through to thumping in his ears, "Don't," Hudson had his hand up in a placating gesture, "Don't."

They all knew that Lucas could very well knock them both of the edge of the cliff. The man pushed his face up against Lucas' again, "Listen to your Captain. Listen to him."

Lucas felt his heart thumping in his chest. He snuck a look to the side to see how close to the edge they were, and realised with fright that the man wasn’t even half as step back from a fatal fall.

There was silence for a few moments before the man spoke, "There are people who need a say!" he called.

"And you think this is they way for us to listen to you?" the UEO delegate behind Hudson spoke to him.

"You will listen to me!" he cried, "I want a place for the green party finalised before I move from here."

"That's no problem," the delegate responded, "It's as good as done. Now you didn't need to go to all this trouble."

"I wasn't going to," he said, "It was that stupid bitch who did it."

Hudson nodded, "We just need you to take a few steps towards us. So that you don't yourself or Ensign Wolenczak killed."

"Ensign Wolenczak," the man whispered. Lucas barely heard it, "I've heard of you, Lucas," he added and then giggled, "I hate little wipper-snappers like you," Lucas felt his heart jump in his chest as the man spoke his name.

The man nodded, "Sure," he pushed Lucas foward slightly, "But I want it in writing. Before I leave!" He losened the grip on Lucas and stood back so he looked less threatening and watched as the officers in front of him also relaxed slightly. He grabbed the back of Lucas collar, taking away the knife completely.

He had to act fast, in this position, the Commander had a clear shot at him on his own.

He tightened his grip on Lucas' collar and spun the boy around behind him like a piece of wood, letting go of him completely as though to throw him off the cliff. In a visually stunning, Olympic-like movement, he let go of Lucas' collar and grabbed his hostage's leg, near the ankle. He smiled slightly as he watched the horror even the ship's Captain struggle to find his breath, holding Lucas by the ankle, upside down over the edge of the cliff.

"Hurry up," he demanded, "My arm is getting tired already."

Hudson recovered quickly, immediately ordering guns down, knowing what could happen if someone panicked and shot either one of them. Ford reluctantly pulled away, heading around the man and his hostage toward Hudson and the other soldiers. Hudson nodded his head and two delegates rushed off to appear as though they were complying with the man's request.

Lucas felt sweat drip down his body, his whole body was stiff and rigid with terror. He hadnt been this frightened since his first time on a rollar coaster, not with this type of fear anyway. They waited in painful silence, Lucas listening to the whistle of the air, trying not to look at the cliff below him. One accident and he was dead.

He felt a strange sort of pain well up inside him as he felt the grip on his ankle loosen slightly. Tears pushed out onto his face, and he fought the rising hysteria.

He didnt want to die.

He couldnt believe he didnt realise it until now. He'd honestly thought that if he was going to die, he would have accepted it. But he wanted to live. There were people he loved. He enjoyed his life.. most of the time. Things sucked sometimes but he lived in hope that it would improved.

After what seemed like forever, the small truck rolled up and the delegates got out. One of them held a piece of paper. He held it up in the air and waved it toward them. Lucas vaguely wondered what happened to the no negotiations with terrorists rule, not even attempting to make sense of it all. From his upside down angle, the blood rushing to his head, Lucas watched one of them approach him slowly, with it unrolled so he could read it.

The man smiled, "What's going to happen to me?" the man asked.

"You'll be held in custody to keep you safe," the delegate responded.

Thats it, Lucas thought. I'm going to die now.

The man smiled slightly and released Lucas' ankle from his grip, letting him drop an inch and then catching him again. Lucas surprised himself by squealing in fear, his voice breaking as he squeezed his eyes shut and let tears roll over his forehead

Before he knew it he was airborne. The wind left his lungs, and his stomach dropped.

As suddenly as it started he smashed into the dirt ground, hitting his head hard and grunting in pain with the impact as he slid across the dirt.

He lay dazed for a few moments as he felt blood trickle down his neck and the side of his head, he sat up on his side spitting dirt out of his mouth.

He felt Commander Ford kneel down near him, pulling him up roughly. Lucas thought that this was strange, he was still hurt, and didn’t want to sit right up. His shoulder ached and he grazed his hands. It wasnt long before he realised that the Commander was hugging him and so was Tony from behind him.

He chuckled weirdly, feeling the dust turn to mud on his cheeks. Ford released him and Tim knelt down to hug him too, a hug with Lucas could actually return.

Lucas looked over at the side of the cliff that he was held off, "Where is he?" Lucas croaked.

"He jumped," Ford told him.

Lucas was astounded at the suddenness and silence with which the man had left the world. He was still trying to work it all out as Lonnie kissed his forehead and took her turn to hold him.