This story fits mid-way in the Second Season and is a follow-up to one of my favorite First Season episodes.

 

 

Out of the Darkness

 

by Lynn

 

 

The warm tropical water sported beautiful fish of amazing colors and various sizes, but they also sported sharks.  Watch divers were posted to survey the area and warn the divers as they collected samples, but so far they had only seen reef sharks resting along the coral reefs.  They were relatively harmless, unless one threatened to steal its prey.  Captain Lee Crane was enjoying the dive as his team collected various samples for Admiral Nelson and the scientific research team that Seaview now hosted.

 

They had just started the dive, and had only been out for about twenty minutes.  Lee actually hadn't intended to take this dive as Harry had expressed an interest in the dive himself.  But a last minute near disaster in the lab had dictated that Harry stay behind and supervise the experiments being conducted by Dr. Steward’s young and inexperienced students. 

 

Lee had only been too happy to step in and lead the dive.  It was one of the perks of being Seaview's Skipper, and he took the opportunity to dive whenever he could.  Lee reached for the specimen pouch attached to his weight belt and missed.  His hand fumbled until he was finally able to deposit his specimen, as he looked down at his trembling hands confused.  He looked back up and noticed that his vision was starting to blur, as his hand instinctively rose to his head to steady the now present fuzziness that was beginning to make itself known.

 

Rick Kowalski, Lee's diving partner, had stopped his collection process as he caught the strange movements in the Skipper's hands, and then watched as the Captain raised a hand to his head and appeared to be disoriented.

 

“Sir?”  Ski asked, speaking through the underwater throat mics the Seaview divers sported.

 

“I don't know Ski...something's not right,” Lee said as his vision began to blur even more.  Kowalski and Lee had been diving partners for the last year and a half, and trust was imperative for a good dive team so when Ski suggested they return to Seaview Lee nodded his agreement and allowed Ski to guide him back to the missile room hatch.

 

“Seaview this is Kowalski.  I'm declaring an emergency and bringing the Captain back in.  We'll need a corpsman standing by.”

 

Lee was losing it fast as his air seemed to run thinner and thinner, he didn't even flinch when Ski asked for a corpsman and began to have trouble coordinating his swimming motions.

 

“All divers report back to Seaview.  Repeat, abort the dive, return to Seaview,” the steady voice of Seaview's XO, Chip Morton was heard by the entire dive team, everyone except Lee.  He lost his coherency just about the time he lost his ability to swim.  He did, however, feel another diver come up alongside of him and then lost consciousness as Ski and Patterson towed him back to the diver's hatch.

 

* * * * *

 

Admiral Harriman Nelson stood outside the diver's hatch in the missile room waiting impatiently for the hatch to pump out the water and the pressure to equalize.  He watched as the ball floating inside the water level display tube began to drop, and then shifted his eyes to the red light above the hatch that would turn green once the cycle had completed indicating it was safe to open the hatch. 

 

He heard oxford clicks behind him and felt Chip settle in alongside of him.  Dr. Will Jamieson and a corpsman stood by ready to treat Lee, but no-one knew exactly what the Captain's condition was.  The light finally turned green as Chief Sharkey opened the hatch and assisted Ski and Pat with the heavy and deeply unconscious Captain.

 

“What happened?”  Harry asked as he watched Jamie and the corpsman lay Lee on the deck.  His mask was removed revealing his blue lips as Jamie strapped an oxygen mask on and began taking his vitals. 

 

“I don't know Sir,” Kowalski replied, “the dive was going fine, then the Skipper started shaking and got disoriented.  He passed out on the way back.”

 

“Chief, check out the Captain's tanks, I want a report as soon as possible.”  The stern voice of the XO put Sharkey into action.  By the looks of things, something was wrong with the Skipper's mixture.

 

“He's stabilizing, let's get the Skipper to Sickbay now, we'll take his dive suit off there.”  Jamie didn't want to take any chances with Lee's condition.  At least in sickbay he'd have the equipment if anything went wrong.  Lee was loaded onto a stretcher and strapped in, he was still unconscious as Jamie followed the stretcher out of the hatch speaking over his shoulder as he did so.

 

“I'll let you know Admiral.”  Jamie said as Harry acknowledged with a nod, then addressed the first officer.

 

“Chip, I want everyone's tanks checked.  I'll be in sickbay.” 

 

“Aye Admiral,” Chip knew that the Admiral recognized the signs of a mixture problem as well.  It was a mistake that wasn't made often aboard this well run submarine.  Someone's head was going to roll on this one.

 

* * * * *

 

By the time Harry reached sickbay the corpsman had already shed Lee's dive suit.  He was in his neoprene dive trunks lying on a gurney as Jamie performed a cursory examination checking for breaks in limbs or any other sign of trauma.  The oxygen mask was still on Lee's face, his head was turned slightly as his dark hair lay in wet curls across his forehead.

 

Lee's head started to move and Jamie stopped Lee's hand as he began to reach for his oxygen mask.  Jamie readjusted the oxygen monitor on Lee's finger and bent over to talk to him as a corpsman placed a blanket on him.

 

“Skipper?  Can you open your eyes for me?”

 

Lee's eyes fluttered and opened slowly looking in the direction of Jamie's voice.  Talking through the oxygen mask wasn't practical so he just looked at Jamie with a question in his eyes.

 

“As far as I can tell you're going to be fine.  It looks like your diving mixture was off.  Just get comfortable, you're going to be here for the afternoon.”  Jamie added a smile as he delivered the last, knowing that Lee would prefer to be in his own cabin, but continued on ignoring Lee's reaction using his expressive eyes. 

 

“I think I can replace the mask with an oxygen cannula, give me a minute and I'll have you set up.”  Jamie delivered an easy smile, glad that a disaster had been averted with the quick treatment that Lee had been afforded.

 

Harry stepped up as Jamie left for his supplies and placed a hand on Lee's shoulder.  Lee turned his head over and caught a very relieved smile on Harry's face.  He couldn't talk so he let a small smile escape that was visible through the mask and in his eyes.  He wanted to know what happened, and Harry seemed to understand and began supplying what information they had.

 

“We don't know what happened yet Lee.  Kowalski said he saw you get disorientated and started to bring you in,” Lee nodded, he remembered that much as Harry continued, “on the way back to Seaview you passed out.  We recalled the entire dive team and Chip's conducting an investigation.”  Harry's smile showed his satisfaction at Lee's apparent understanding of the conversation.  His lips had resumed their normal color and the white pallor in his face had returned to the healthy olive tone that Lee normally sported.

 

Jamie returned and replaced the mask with the cannula. 

 

“The rest of the dive team okay?”  Lee asked in a hoarse voice.

 

“Fine Lee.  We're checking all the tanks to be sure,” Harry explained.  Lee nodded, he was feeling better, but felt very tired, a by-product of the thin oxygen he had breathed.  He heard someone come in and wasn't surprised to see Chip take his place next to the gurney.

 

“Hey, Chip.  What did you find out?”  Jamie raised Lee's gurney slightly and handed him a glass of water for his obviously scratchy voice.

 

Chip held up a small metal fitting into Lee's line of sight, “A faulty valve on your tanks Lee.  It would have been hard to find on the pre-dive inspection, Sharkey is kicking himself up one side and down the other for not spotting it.”

 

Lee nodded his head in a negative, “Just a fluke accident, that's why we have dive partners,” Lee stated matter of factly.  “Ski spotted my disorientation just about as it happened.  I'd like a commendation for his files Chip.”

 

Chip nodded, “I'll take care of it, Lee.”

 

Harry's concerned look had softened back to a normal expression as he realized that Lee really was going to be alright.  He had only been with Seaview a little more than a year, but in that time he and Lee had forged a strong friendship that had weathered many trials.  They were also a formidable command team, and Harry was convinced that he had snagged the best sub commander in the Navy, just like he was told over a year ago.

 

Jamie stepped back up on Lee's left side and took control of the conversation again.

 

“Okay Skipper, you know the drill after this kind of incident.  You'll be my guest here for six hours of observation, if everything goes like I think it will I'll release you to your cabin tonight.  You're off the duty roster until the day after tomorrow.  Light duty for the next couple of days, which means no dives and no crawling through ventilator shafts or torpedo tubes.”  The last was delivered with a small knowing smile with Harry and Chip returning the smile as well.

 

“Admiral, I think Lee could use a little nap, but he'll be up for visitors later.”

 

“Fine Jamie.”  Harry turned to leave but not before patting Lee's shoulder, “get some rest Lee.”

 

“Aye Sir,” Lee would have argued about the nap, but he was beat, and he wasn't going anywhere soon anyway.

 

“I'll check back later Lee.” 

 

“Alright Chip, Boat Status when you come back?”

 

“Aye Sir,” Chip said with a relieved smile on his face.

 

* * * * *   

 

The dives had proceeded without further incident, and though Lee was back on light duty he had been at the hatch for the return of every dive team.  He stopped to reassure Chief Sharkey that the accident wasn't his fault, but still appreciated his obvious regret.  Sharkey had only been aboard a few months, and was fitting in well after the untimely death of Chief Jones.  His heart attack had been a shock to everyone, as he was an excellent diver and was in what would seem to be excellent health. 

 

“I still can't figure the valve going bad like that Sir.”  Sharkey said as they waited for the dive team to return from the last dive of the day.  “I've never seen one fail in that particular way before.”

 

Lee nodded and agreed, “I guess it was just one of those things Chief.  Our dive protocols worked and I’m glad to say that everything worked out fine.”  Lee added a smile that Sharkey appreciated as he returned his attention to the hatch that was just now circulating to green.

 

Once the divers were back aboard Lee headed off to the nose, where the Admiral had arranged for a dinner on the “Front Porch” for Dr. Steward and his four students.  The students were all bright and inquisitive and Harry had enjoyed expanding their knowledge.  The next few days would bring a little reprieve, as Seaview traveled to her next coordinates for further samples.  Harry had arranged for a tour for the students with the finale being the missile room where they could get a close up view of the diving bell.  Lee smiled to himself as he headed to his cabin for a quick freshen up before dinner.  He thought that the Admiral was enjoying this particular cruise as he had a chance to use his natural teaching and mentoring abilities with the students.

 

When he arrived in the nose the students were already gathered, as were Harry and Dr. Steward.  Chip and Jamie rounded off the dinner guests as Dr. Steward approached Lee.

 

“Ah, Captain Crane.  I hope that you are feeling better tonight.”

 

“Thank you Dr. Steward.  I'm feeling fine,” Lee answered politely, but he really hated discussing his health among strangers, still he kept an even expression and guided the conversation back to a more comfortable subject.

 

“How are your experiments coming along Dr. Steward?”

 

Dr. Steward went on about the wonderful specimens and their various benefits to the project as Lee listened politely, but he was caught off guard by a look from one of the students that Lee was sure was directed at him.  He was a good read of people, something he had learned to do with plenty of practice on ONI missions, and this student Maxwell Heinz was definitely giving off some bad vibes.  Lee shrugged it off, he had never met the young man before and maybe he had just caught him in a bad moment.

 

“When will we reach the next collection site Captain?”  Dr. Steward finally came up for breath from his long dissertation on the experiments, and leaned over asking with anticipation.

 

“Chip?  Are we still on track for tomorrow afternoon?”  Lee asked pleasantly, bringing his XO in on the conversation.

 

“Aye Sir, ETA 1400 hours,” Chip answered efficiently.

 

“Isn't that something the Captain of the Boat should have known?” asked Maxwell Heinz, interrupting the easy flow of conversation in the room. 

 

The comment caught Lee slightly off guard, but he was a confident commander and answered without a hint of intimidation.

 

“Estimated times of arrivals are exactly that, Mr. Heinz.  As I was supervising the dive teams from the missile room this afternoon I hadn't had a chance to be briefed by the Executive Officer yet.”  He added a small tight smile that was polite but let the student know that he had crossed a polite boundary, and reminding him that he was a guest on the submarine.

 

“No insult intended, sir,” Maxwell backed down.

 

“None taken, Mr. Heinz,” Lee offered as he smiled and the table resumed its conversation in an effort to move away from the uncomfortable exchange they had just witnessed.

 

The evening wore on without further incident as Harry began to brief the students on the next day's tour in the missile room.

 

* * * * *

 

Admiral Nelson guided the tour along ending up in the missile room.  His obvious enjoyment apparent as he showed the students one of his pride and joys, the diving bell.  The wonder of Seaview's windows and the fantastic invention of a submersible that flew, the Flying Sub, had often overshadowed the technological wonder that Seaview's diving bell was.  She allowed for depths to be explored that even Seaview couldn't reach and carried an impressive array of equipment for deep sea exploration. 

 

The students were full of questions that Harry was only too happy to answer as Lee entered the missile room.  He crossed the floor to intercept the Admiral as Harry guided the tour over to the dive tank area next to the torpedo bays.  Lee caught a movement in the air above the Admiral and shouted as he ran shoving Harry to the ground just as a torpedo hanging from its port in the overhead bulkhead faltered from its position and swung forward with force.  Lee's reaction was enough to cause the students to drop and he had successfully moved Harry out of harm's way; but was caught by the momentum of the torpedo taking a blow to the side of the head and dropping in a heap to the floor.

 

“Lee!”  Harry had recovered from the shock of the totally unexpected accident and moved instantly to Lee's side.  Lee's legs were moving in an obvious instinctive move of his body to curb the pain as his head swayed back and forth.  Small moans escaped as he breathed heavily through the pain.  He was unconscious but his awareness was returning.

 

“Get the Doc here, right away!”  Harry bellowed, as Patterson ran to the mic hanging on the tall cylindrical hatch in the middle of the deck. 

 

Lee's distress was apparent as he seemed to waken, his eyes staring straight ahead looking toward the ceiling in obvious confusion.  The entire side of his face was already turning dark purple as a bruise began to form.

 

“Admiral?”  Lee called in a small confused voice.

 

“I'm right here Lee.  Hold on, Jamie's on his way.”

 

“Admiral...I can't see.  It's pitch black, I can't see.”

 

Harry put a reassuring hand on Lee's shoulder as Lee's left leg bent at the knee.  “Easy Lee, stay as still as possible.”  Harry tried to add his assurance to Lee but the obvious pain that Lee was in took its toll as his eyes closed dramatically and his head went limp.

 

Jamie ran into the missile room carrying his emergency bag as Harry brought him up to date.  He called for a back board and secured Lee's neck in a collar until he could be x-rayed and hurried his team to sickbay.

 

* * * * *

Lee had remained unconscious during the x-rays and was now lying on a gurney in the middle of the treatment room.  Jamie had found no broken bones but had left the neck collar on while he conducted neural tests with a small pin on Lee's fingers and toes.  His IV hung at his left side and his head and eyes were covered in a swathe of bandages.  There was no blood, but the goose egg on Lee's head had given away the impact area as well as the dark bruise that peaked out from under the bandages.

 

A small moan passed through Lee's lips, and a moment later his hand twitched ready to move toward his head.  Jamie caught his hand in his and leaned down over Lee.

 

“Skipper, if you can hear me I want you to squeeze my hand.”

 

It took a few moments as Lee worked through both the request and the physical process required to squeeze Jamie's hand.  Another moan escaped, as Lee's awareness returned.

 

“My eyes Jamie?”

 

“You took a pretty heavy whack to the head Lee.  You've got a severe concussion, but I have every reason to believe that your eyesight will return once the swelling has receded.”

 

Jamie registered the relief in Lee's face, even though it was mostly covered with the bandage.  “I have your eyes bandaged so that your body doesn't have to compete for the healing process.  Just be patient.”

 

“‘Kay,” Lee answered in an airy voice, “is the Admiral here?”

 

“I'm here Lee,” Harry answered quietly as he rested his hand on Lee's right arm.  Harry didn't want to speak too loudly, he was sure that Lee was sporting a pretty impressive headache about now.

 

“Everyone okay?” Lee asked in as few words as he could use to ask the question.

 

“Everyone's fine Lee.  Chip is investigating the accident as we speak.”

 

“Too many accidents lately...” Lee's words were beginning to slur dramatically, “not buying another accident...” and with that Lee's voice dropped off as he sunk back into unconsciousness.

 

Harry looked up at Seaview's doctor, “Jamie?”

 

“It's the concussion Admiral.  I'm surprised he was as lucid as he was.  This one's going to take a while to heal, three maybe four weeks before he's back, even on light duty.”

 

Harry nodded in agreement and stepped away from Lee's gurney as Chip entered the room. 

 

“Admiral?”  Chip asked speaking in low tones as he took in Lee's condition.

 

“Jamie says a severe concussion.  He believes that Lee's blindness is temporary.”  Chip's relief was visible as Harry continued, “What did you find out?”

 

“Sharkey is still conducting the investigation, but we did find this,” Chip held up a link in a chain that had obviously been cut with bolt cutters. 

 

Harry nodded, “So Lee was right, it wasn't an accident.  Chip post a guard outside sickbay, with this and the diving accident I'd say we have an assassin on-board.”

 

Chip nodded, “Yes Sir, but you do realize that Lee wasn't supposed to go on that dive, you were.  It's just as likely Sir, that you were the intended target.”

 

Harry let that thought seep for a moment, “Perhaps, but let's play it safe all the way around.  I'm still not convinced that Lee wasn't the one targeted.”

 

“Aye Sir.” Chip nodded in agreement, “In lieu of this latest attempt, may I suggest that we restrict our passengers to the lab or their quarters?”

 

“Yes Chip, I think that would be a good idea.”  Harry looked back at Lee's still form on the gurney.  Someone went to a lot of trouble to try and take out either himself or Lee.  The first attempt, a faulty valve could have been called an accident but Chip held the proof in his hands that the chain had been cut on the torpedoes.  Whoever was behind this had escalated their attempt, and Harry wasn't convinced they would be satisfied until either he or Lee was dead.

 

* * * * *

 

Lee began to wake and knew even before he opened his eyes that he wasn't in his cabin.  The smells of sickbay invaded him as he laid in bed trying to remember what happened.  It took a few minutes, but slowly his mind began to sharpen and he suddenly remembered the missile room.  The torpedo swinging down was etched into his memory as he saw himself moving toward Harry in slow motion.  Then he remembered the impact and the blindness.  It was only then that he realized that his eyes were bandaged closed. 

 

His awareness began to return to him as he raised his hand to his head and felt the bandages along his face.  His entire body was sore, but the debilitating pain in his head had subsided to a low-key throbbing ache that he could handle.

 

He could feel that he was in a bunk, and reached for the side of the bed that he thought the bulkhead was on and felt until he found the wall.  He pressed his hand flat against the wall and registered standard speed and smiled.  His boat must be okay, still he wanted to know what had been going on.

 

“Jamie?”  Lee's voice was soft but in complete control as he heard the steps of the doctor approach his bunk.  Jamie had removed the neck collar, and Lee looked better in spite of the bandages that covered his face.

 

“Hello Skipper,” Jamie replied as he began to take his vitals.

 

“How long have I been out?”

 

Jamie stopped his ministrations and looked up at the chronometer on the wall, “You were brought in here about six hours ago.  You've been in and out of consciousness, do you remember your neuro checks?”

 

Lee avoided the nod, “No, I remember talking to the Admiral.  I remember you telling me that my eyesight would return.”  Lee's voice intimated that he needed Jamie to verify this.

 

Jamie nodded, even though his patient couldn't see him, “Yes, I believe that your eyesight will return once the swelling recedes.  But you'll be in bed for awhile Skipper.  That knock on the head was very dangerous, we'll have to be careful to avoid another fall or blow to the head.  A secondary impact would be very dangerous for you right now.”

 

“Okay Jamie,” Lee knew that he was going to be a permanent fixture in sickbay for awhile, but he still needed to know what was happening on his boat.

 

“Jamie, I'd like to speak with Chip.”  Lee's request wasn't unexpected and Jamie saw no reason why he couldn't have a short visit.

 

“Alright Skipper, but you'll tire easily so let's keep the visits short, okay?”

 

“Very well,” Lee answered in his usual naval decorum that let Jamie know that the Skipper might be lying flat on his back in Sickbay, but he was still the Skipper nonetheless.

 

* * * * *

 

Chip entered sickbay feeling relieved that Lee had wakened and was lucid enough to ask for him.  He came prepared with the boat status that he knew Lee wanted, as well as the update on the investigation.  As he entered sickbay, he noticed that Lee had been moved to a bunk.  The bandage across his face didn't cover the angry bruise that lay underneath and Chip could sympathize with the headache that he knew Lee still had.

 

As he approached the bunk he heard Lee's voice, “Chip?”

 

“How'd you know it was me?”  Chip knew that Lee's senses were sharp, mostly due to the spy games Lee found himself playing for ONI from time to time, but asked anyway in an attempt to lighten the mood.

 

“Heard you coming a mile away,” Lee offered with a small smile.

 

“Yeah, well I learned a long time ago not to sneak up on you,” Chip said, referring to a time when he had startled Lee and had nearly gotten his head knocked off for it.

 

Lee chuckled, but then got down to business, “Status report, Mr. Morton.” 

 

“Aye Sir,” Chip replied with humor in his voice, but then he got down to business too.  “The boat's running in the green, Lee.  And you were right, the torpedo was no accident, we found evidence that the chain had been cut.  We're proceeding on to the next coordinates, the Admiral wants to find out who's been trying to knock you off before we let them off the boat in some port...”

 

“It could be the Admiral who's in danger,” Lee interrupted.

 

“Yeah I know, I'm keeping an eye out for him, actually I have Sharkey doing that.  You know the Admiral Lee, he doesn't slow down for much of anything.”

 

“Yeah I know, but I wasn't scheduled to be on that tour, the Admiral was,” Lee reasoned.

 

“I know.  Do you have any ideas who it might be?  Maybe that kid Heinz?”

 

Lee thought about that idea, “No, I don't think it's him.  He's just a kid, got a degree working for his masters and thinks he knows everything, but I don't think he's anything more than that.”

 

Lee was a good read of people, and Chip trusted his observations. 

 

“All right, it's either one of our other guests or the crew,” Chip reasoned out loud.

 

“Do me a favor Chip.  Have Sparks make an inquiry to ONI on my code for Dr. Steward.”

 

“Dr. Steward?  Any particular reason?”  Chip's surprise was evident in his question.  Dr. Steward seemed to be the epitome of the absent minded professor, and seemed rather harmless to him.

 

“I didn't see Dr. Steward in the missile room when I first came in, but I heard his voice in the confusion when I woke up in there.  Where was he?”

 

“That's news to me Lee.  I'll get on it.”  Chip said as he noticed Lee's fatigue, he stood and leaned over placing his hand on Lee's arm.

 

“You get some rest, Lee.  I'll let you know what I find out.”

 

Lee nodded slightly and began to slip off to sleep even as he heard Chip's steps toward the door.

 

* * * * *

 

Lee was startled awake by the sound of someone moving up next to him.  It wasn't Jamie, and the cadence of the steps didn't sound familiar. 

 

“Who's there?”  He asked curiously.  When no-one answered he tried again.

 

“Frank is that you?”  Lee asked, referring to Franklin the senior corpsman that often tended Lee when he was here.

 

Just then Lee felt the person right next to his bed, still not answering.  It wasn't normal.  It wasn't right.

Lee raised his hands just in time to fend off a pillow being thrust down toward his face.

 

“Jamie!”  Lee yelled as he struggled against an unknown assailant.  Instantly the sickbay door opened as Lee heard Ski's voice demanding that the assailant back off.  Lee felt the pillow thrust toward Ski's voice and heard his assailant lunge toward the rating.  He could hear a struggle and knew he couldn't do much except to get more help.  He flipped his blankets off his bed and sat up, getting dizzy and recovering as he heard Ski and the other man in an obvious hand to hand struggle.  Lee pulled himself out of bed and walked toward the mic hanging beside the sickbay door. 

 

Lee's legs were unsteady, and so he leaned against the bunk and then the wall, feeling his way over to where he knew the mic hung.  From the sounds of the struggle, Ski had his hands full.  He finally found the mic and clicked it.

 

“Master at Arms to Sickbay, this is an emergency!”  His legs buckled from under him, and he slid down the wall feeling nauseous and dizzy, then suddenly blacked out.

 

The assailant took one final swing at Ski leaving him dazed as he climbed back into the ventilator shaft closing it just in time to avoid the stream of security men who came rushing in. 

 

* * * * *

“Lee?”

 

Harry's familiar voice penetrated Lee's awareness as he began to wake up.  Once he was awake he remembered the struggle, “Ski?”

 

“He's alright Lee.  Franklin's got a bump on the back of his head, but he's okay as well.  Can you tell us what you remember?”

 

Lee avoided the nod and answered, “I woke up feeling someone hovering over me.  He didn't respond to my calls, I raised my hands in time to keep him from smothering me with a pillow.  I called for Jamie and that's when Ski came in.”

 

“He was on guard duty outside the door,” Harry offered as Lee continued.

 

“From the sounds of the struggle, the guy must have been good to have kept Ski busy like he did.  I made it over to the mic and made a call, but that's all I remember.”

 

“By the time security came the assailant was gone, and Ski was just pulling himself off the floor,” Harry finished.

 

“Did Ski get a good look at him?”  Lee asked, now fully awake and aware.

 

“No, he wore a mask.” 

 

“We're placing guards both in and outside sickbay Lee.”  He heard Chip say from down towards the foot of the bunk.

 

“I'm turning us about towards Pearl.  If we don't flush him out before then, I'll turn Jigg's MA's* over on the boat until we find him.”  Harry's willingness to use ComSubPac's resources underscored the sense of determination Lee heard in his voice; Determination and steeled anger.

 

Lee nodded as he heard Jamie speak, “Skipper your little jaunt out of bed didn't do you any good, so let's just stay put shall we?”

 

“Not much choice that time, Jamie.”

 

“I understand Lee, but I really need you to stay stationary and give your body a chance to heal.”

 

Harry took the hint and squeezed Lee's arm as he vacated the chair he was sitting in.

 

“I'll see you later, Lee.”

 

“Thank you, Sir.”

 

Chip followed, but leaned down over Lee before leaving, “Sparks hasn't got a reply yet Lee, I'll let you know when it comes in.”

 

Lee responded to Chip's soft words with a small nod and heard him leave.  Someone else settled in standing beside the bunk and Lee figured it was his bodyguard.

 

“Okay, who's got the duty?” he asked with a small smile.

 

“Me Sir, Riley.”

 

“Sorry about this Riley.”

 

“No problem, Sir.  I'm glad to help.”

 

* * * * *

 

Dr. Steward paced his guest quarters.  He had fought it out with the rating in the red jump suit, he wasn't quite prepared for the fact that the rating could handle himself so well.  He walked back over to the mirror in the head and looked again at the shiner he now sported.  He wasn't sure how he was going to cover the swelling, but he did have some make-up to cover the bruise starting to form.  He was a professional and had come prepared.  The pre-voyage search of his luggage had been too extensive to try and sneak a gun aboard, so he had used what was available to him. 

 

It nearly worked, except that Lee Crane had still managed to stay alive.  It hadn't been difficult to fiddle with the tank before the dive.  He knew that the accident he had arranged in the lab would keep Nelson from the dive, and that Crane's dossier revealed that he dove whenever possible.  It would have been so easy if his dive partner hadn't been so alert.

 

Then he slipped away in the missile room when he saw Crane come in.  He had already sabotaged the torpedo rack, a pull on the chain from a remote location and he nearly took Crane out for good, but the guy seemed to have nine lives.  Then, even when he was blinded he had sensed him and managed to get an alarm off.

 

It was time to cut his losses and get out before it cost him everything.  The PR wasn't going to be happy with his lack of success, but he was a freelance assassin and didn't have any fear of repercussions from the People's Republic.  They were keen on taking the Captain out as their failed attempt at controlling him was a source of embarrassment, Crane's brainwashing had taken too long.  He had been captured on Friday evening but after days of drugs, electric shock treatments and sleep deprivation he had barely started breaking on Monday morning.  They had barely had enough time to program him and return him to duty, but suspicion had set in when Captain Crane was late reporting in.** 

 

Parker relayed that Crane had uncharacteristically handled the boat in an effort to abort the mission.  It was apparent that he was fighting the brainwashing.  Each subsequent order given on the matchbooks however, had strengthened the conditioning when the drug penetrated his skin as he held the matchbook reinforcing the weekend's harsh lessons.  But in the end, Crane's conditioning had faltered, as he delayed pulling the trigger giving Forrester a chance to take him down.  He began to break out of the conditioning and revealed enough information for Nelson and Forrester to track down Parker.

 

The whole affair had been a major setback to the PR and had ended with Crane being welcomed back into NIMR and the Navy Reserves without any residue of the conditioning he had received.  A “hit” had been put out on him almost immediately, but “Steward” had just gotten the job after several failed attempts from PR operatives. 

 

It had been easy to switch places with Steward who was at this moment on an extended vacation deep in Old Mexico indulging in his hobby of archeology.  Jansen, the assassin’s real name, was a bit embarrassed himself.  He wasn't used to failure, the next time he was going to have to get to Crane when his crew wasn't around to bail him out.  He never left a job unfinished, he would just have to take him out another day.  He thumbed the locator beacon that was hidden in his ring and headed out of his cabin.  All he needed to do was to make it to the moon pool where he already had a diving suit ready.  Then he'd be picked up and deal with Crane on another day, under his terms. 

 

* * * * * 

 

“Lee,” Chip's voice sounded close to his ear. 

 

Lee turned his head from the bulkhead toward Chip and replied back, “Hi Chip.  What do you have?”

 

“A reply from ONI, but it's in your personal code.”

 

“Read me what you have,” Lee said, all hint of sleepiness was now gone.

 

Chip began reading off nonsensical words and digits as Lee concentrated, “Chip, they say that Steward's in Mexico, we've got an imposter aboard.”

 

“Got it Lee,” Chip left in a hurry to bring the Admiral up to speed, running through Seaview's corridors.

 

* * * * *

 

Jansen sat inside the ventilator shaft, he was going to head to the moon pool but then everything went bad fast.  Suddenly there were security details roaming in all the corridors, checking every room.  He even heard some activity in the ventilator shaft, but they had headed off in another direction.  Things had really gotten out of hand, the only way out now was with a hostage.  A smile formed on Jansen's face as he worked his way to sickbay's vent.

 

He watched from the vent to see Crane still lying in the bunk with his eyes bandaged.  Jansen pulled out the small tube he had brought with him and the tiny dart that he had managed to sneak inside the lining of his briefcase.  He took a deep breath and blew the dart through the tube hitting the young blond guard precisely where he had aimed, in his neck.  The guard reached up to his neck and then slid down the bunk, as Jansen smiled working his way down the vent.

 

Lee was half asleep, lying in his dark world left him little else to do, besides the ever present throb in his head had dictated more rest.  He heard an odd sound at the foot of his bed.  It didn't sound right.

 

“Riley?”  He asked, wondering if he had shifted or something.  Riley didn't answer but he did hear a second similar sound and then the sound of someone by the door. 

 

“Riley,” Lee asked again, but when he didn't get an answer he started getting worried.  He started to rise and felt someone restrain him by the shoulder; he knew exactly who it was.

 

“Not so fast Crane,” Jansen said, slowing Lee's ascent but helping him to move into a sitting position,

“You're going to take a little walk with me.”

 

“Who are you?  I know you're not Steward,” Lee asked trying to buy time and get as much information as he could.

 

“Let's just say that if I didn't need you just now you'd be dead, Crane.  The People's Republic doesn't like loose ends, and you're a loose end.”

 

Understanding began to flood over Lee's face as he realized just what “Steward” had told him, as his captor continued.

 

“It seems that your failed conditioning has caused a great deal of embarrassment to certain people.”

 

Lee's face registered confusion.  It was hard to think that the conditioning hadn't been successful when he had managed to sabotage seven missiles, knock out Forrester, implicate Chip and nearly kill the Admiral.

 

“Come on Crane, time to make my demands known.”  Jansen pulled Lee along to the mic on the wall.  Lee was still dizzy and worked to keep the nauseousness down that the sudden movement had produced.  He stood shakily leaning against the wall as he felt Jansen press the sidearm that he had taken from Riley to his head.

 

“Admiral Nelson, this is Steward.  Pick up the mic or your Captain's a dead man.”

 

A second later Lee could hear Harry speaking calmly but darkly answering the forced hail.

 

“This is Nelson, but Dr. Steward is in Mexico.  Whom am I speaking with?” 

 

Jansen smiled, it didn't really matter that they knew that he was an imposter at this point.  “My name doesn't matter.  All that matters is that I have Captain Crane here with a gun to his head.”

 

There was a silence and then, “Lee, are you okay?”

 

Jansen pushed the gun slightly inward as he spoke, “Go ahead Crane, tell him.”

 

“I'm fine Sir, but I don't know about Riley and Jamie.”

 

“Just taking a long nap I assure you.  Now Nelson, here's how's it’s going to go.  My friends will be picking me up soon.  You will surface and put me adrift in a raft, I'll keep Crane until my ride arrives at which point you can have your Captain back.”

 

“You've tried to kill him three times, what makes you think that I believe you're going to set him free in the end?”

 

“You don't know, you don't have to trust me.  All you have to know is that I can kill him now and still have two hostages left to deal with.  Your move Nelson.”

 

Lee had been listening to the exchange trying to think of a way to even the odds.  But he knew he couldn't do anything with his eyes covered.  He had been sleeping off the concussion for the last two days, surely some swelling had to have gone down.  He wondered if he could see if he removed his bandages.  At least he'd be able to see his assailant, but right now he couldn't do anything with the gun pressed against his head.

 

“Very well, I'll clear your way to the control room to enter out the sail hatch.”

 

“No tricks Nelson.  The People's Republic wants Crane dead, so I won't hesitate one second to take him out.”

 

Another piece of the puzzle fell into place as Harry answered, “Alright, you've made your point.”

 

Jansen hung up the mic, “Looks like you and I are going to take a little walk, Crane.”

 

* * * * *

 

Harry hung back up his mic and looked at Chip.  “They'll kill him or take him back to the Republic, Chip.”

 

Chip nodded his agreement, “What can we do Admiral?  We can't let them take Lee again.”

 

“Let's even the odds for Lee.”  A small tight smile formed on Harry's face as he thought through the plan now forming in his mind.

 

* * * * *

 

“Steward this is Nelson,” Harry addressed the assailant with the only name he had.

 

“Go 'head Nelson.”

 

“The corridors are clear, but take it easy on my Captain.  You have the clear advantage with him being blind.”

 

Jansen smiled, “Yes, and that's exactly why he makes such a good hostage.”  He pulled Lee from the wall, “Let's go Crane.”

 

Lee moved forward, trying to hide the fact that he was deciphering Harry's message.  The diversion would happen in the corridor.  Harry had made a point of indicating Jansen's advantage and so Lee thought that Seaview was probably going to have a sudden electrical problem.  The corridors would go pitch black if the emergency lights didn't activate.  He figured the only way he'd know when it happened was when “Steward” reacted to the sudden darkness.  He'd have to be careful, or Steward's itchy trigger finger could be the end of it.

 

Lee walked staggering along keeping steady with a hand on the corridor wall the other arm held tightly by Jansen.  He used the wall partly because of the weakness caused by the concussion, but mostly because he needed to have some bearings once he was free from Steward, so he made his obvious weakened condition a little more pronounced to add to the deception.

 

Lee knew Seaview whether he could see or not, he felt every turn and knew exactly where he was.  Another turn and they would be too close to the Control Room.  It would have to be now.  Suddenly, he felt Jansen stop his forward movement, and Lee took the chance that the lights had gone out.  He swung a double fisted blow with all his might in the direction of Jansen's head and connected.  He heard the gun hit the floor and fell himself, his head swimming in dizziness.  He crawled away from Jansen as he heard movement coming from both ends of the corridor.  There was a short scuffle and then,

 

“We've got him Admiral.” 

 

Lee sat against the corridor wall with his head leaning back against the bulkhead.  Hearing Chief Sharkey's voice had been a huge relief, as he felt someone move to his side.

 

“Lee?”

 

“I'm alright Admiral,” he said with an unconvincing smile, and then lost it and slid down the wall to lean against Harry.

 

“Admiral?”  Chip asked as the corridor lights came back to life.  Harry removed his night goggles and looked at Lee.

 

“Passed out I think.”  Harry looked down and couldn't help the smile that escaped, as Lee leaned against him like a seven year boy leaning against his dad asleep.

 

* * * * *

 

Lee was back in his bunk.  Jamie had fussed over him and had decided that he was no worse for the experience.  He was medicated for pain and was sleeping with a mild sedative that Jamie had insisted upon.  Harry sat beside him, the whole event reminding him all too well of the mission that had started this whole mess.

 

It had been difficult for Lee to get through.  Seaview was docked at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, for repairs to the Herculite windows after Parker's plastic explosive nearly brought Seaview down.  Lee had been ordered to Pearl to recover, debrief, and to determine his readiness to be reinstated to the Navy Reserves.  He had been compromised, and although the Navy didn't want to let loose of the fine officer Lee was, they also had to know that he was completely free of the conditioning.

 

The drugs had finally dissipated out of his system and he had endured hours of debriefing.  Early in the debriefing he had described the warehouse where he had been taken.  He had been kept isolated in the hospital, and still held noticeable regret in his demeanor.  Everything that he had worked for his entire life had been stolen from him.  He wasn't sure how it was going to turn out, but if the Navy didn't reinstate him he wouldn't be able to stay with NIMR.  But what hurt the most was the knowledge that someone else had programmed their ideals into him and he couldn't do anything to stop it.

 

He sat in a blue terry cloth robe over white pajamas looking through a window that was sealed shut on the fourth floor, his arm still in a sling across his chest.  The ocean outside his window his only connection right now to the life he loved.  He heard the door and turned to see Admiral Nelson walk in.

 

Any other time he would have been a welcome sight, but Lee couldn't help but look away.  He had almost killed his best friend.  How does someone get programmed to do that? 

 

“Lee,” Lee looked up and gave Harry a small smile, but it was forced and awkward.  “I just got news from ComSubPac.  You've been reinstated.”

 

Lee's expression changed immediately and he had to turn back to the window to hold back his emotions.  He swallowed hard before speaking softly and through rough emotions.

 

“Admiral, I nearly killed you.”

 

“No, Forrester said that you delayed and that your hands were shaking something fierce.  You were fighting it Lee.”

 

Lee's head dipped.

 

“Lee, we found the warehouse where they brainwashed you.  We found this.”  Harry placed a video tape reel down in front of Lee.  Lee's eyes rose asking the question for him.

 

“It's a video recording of your conditioning.”  Lee's eyes closed as if he had been hit by a heavy blow, as Harry sat down across from him at the table and continued, “Three days worth, Lee.”

 

“Lee, there was nothing you could have done.  It wasn't a matter of not being strong enough, the electric shock and drugs eventually wore your body down.  At some point your brain couldn't do anything else but give in.  Lee,” Harry said his name drawing Lee's eyes to him.

 

“It's time to forgive yourself.  Seaview still has work to do and you're still the best man for the job.”

 

Lee choked back his tears, but they fell unwillingly down his cheek anyway, “Admiral, I'm sorry.”

 

“I'm sorry too, Lee.  Sorry I didn't recognize your frantic attempts to get my attention.  But we made it through, and the only way the Republic can win now is if you let them take everything you love away from you.”

 

Lee reined back in his emotions and looked Harry in the eyes, as he finally allowed himself to feel relief.  He took another breath.

 

“Aye Sir.  Thank you, Sir.” 

 

It had been a long road back, but Lee had come back as strong as ever and never once did Harry regret his decision.  He hoped that this latest event hadn't shaken Lee too much.  Lee began to stir, and reached his hand for his eyes.

 

“Admiral?”

 

“I'm here, Lee.”

 

“I think I can see some light through the bandages,” a smile began to break across Lee's face and Harry returned it, even though Lee couldn't see it. 

 

“I'll get Jamie.”

 

* * * * *

 

Lee was sitting on the back deck of his house looking out over the ocean.  He was enjoying the view.  Even though Jamie had said all along that he would be alright, it had remained only a hope until the day that the bandages had actually been removed.  Not having his sight had given him a great appreciation for the beauty that surrounded him.

 

He heard a rustle in the kitchen but ignored it.  He had his “orders” to sit and rest.  It wasn't every day that a four star admiral served a commander lunch and so Lee just sat there soaking in the feel of having such a good friend.  Between Harry and Chip, Lee hadn't had to do too much besides get well this last week.  He was feeling much better, as the dizziness and nauseousness had finally begun to dwindle.  He still had the headaches, but Jamie assured him that they too would fade.  He was still under orders to rest, and it was imperative that Lee didn't have any falls or blows during this time of his recovery, but it had felt good to be in his own home again. 

 

The events that had led up to this forced rest had brought back some bad memories, but he had worked through them.  Chip had smuggled him in some reports and admittedly he couldn't read for more than an hour before a headache would dictate rest, but he was still anxious to get back to work.  He had just started to plan how he was going to badger Jamie into light duty, and was working on that strategy when Harry walked out with a tray of sandwiches.  They sat in comfortable silence eating as Harry and Lee looked out over the peaceful ocean.

 

“How have you been Lee?  I mean how have you really been?”  Harry asked, knowing that Lee understood where his question was coming from.

 

“I'm alright Admiral.  Being blinded for that week was a little easier to take than Jansen dredging up last year's fiasco, but I've got some really good friends.  They helped me through it.”  He added the last with a half-smile that Harry knew well.

 

Harry returned his smile as Lee spoke of their friendship in general, but it meant the world to him just the same. 

 

Lee's smile lingered as he took in the grand view of the ocean in front of him.  The darkness of the being blind had given way to the brightness of friends that care.   He had faced and put behind him one of the darkest times of his life with the help of those same friends.  His smile widened in satisfaction.  Then they turned their attention to the upcoming missions and soon Lee and Harry were enjoying the quiet friendship that had been forged through adversity, and shaped by their mutual respect for one another. 

 

 

 

The End

 

Out of the Darkness

 

 

 

 

* MA – Naval Military Police (MPs) are referred to as Master at Arms.

 

**See First Season Episode, The Saboteur

 

 

 

Copyright 2013, All Rights Reserved

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and her main characters belong to Irwin Allen