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By K.T. Weltch

Near gale force winds pushed up mountainous swells of the Pacific ocean that would ultimately hit against the north Oregon coastline... striking places with names like the Devil's Elbow in breath-taking displays of spray and foam. Some miles out, safely slicing beneath the rolling waves with graceful ease, the submarine Seaview made its way north. Her forward lamp lit the way, illuminating and scattering the ocean's inhabitants with unquestionable efficiency.

In her control room, making notations from the chart before him, was her captain, Lee Crane. One portion of his mind listened to the sounds of his ship. Every sound was as familiar as the sound of his own breath and every light that flashed, like the beating of his own heart. Some of the crew joked that he could hear a card game on the lower deck with the engines running at full speed. Something that made Crane smile, a little omniscience never hurt a captain's image, however exaggerated.

Lee smiled now, sighing contentedly. They were making very good time. If he knew his boss and the designer of Seaview, Admiral Harriman Nelson, this would be welcome news. They were scheduled to arrive at the undersea lab, PacOceanic late this evening. The Admiral was looking forward to this with an exuberance that Lee thought of as his 'new toy' excitement.

Nelson had been in on the plans for this instillation. More as an advisor than his usual hands on participation. PacOceanic had actually been the brainchild of Dr.Terrance Koptish, a well-known scientists that Nelson had worked with for close to fifteen years. The complex housed close to seventeen scientists and assistants from four countries in a united study of the ocean's resources. Already, medical advances that surpassed original expectations had been discovered, as well as inroads to understanding the ocean itself. Nelson had been talking about it for months, but this was the first opportunity that they had to actually visit the complex.

He glanced up as the Admiral joined him at the chart table. The welcoming smile left his face as he saw the Admiral's expression. "What's wrong?"

Nelson smiled grimly, "A small complication in our plans. We've been contacted by the Navy. They're calling on us to rendezvous with a freighter to the west." He pulled over the chart that Lee had in front of him and pointed to a location several degrees to the west of their present position. "Here."

"What's the problem?"

Nelson shook his head "She is carrying a load of radioactive material aboard. Apparently the storm above has raised havoc with her cargo...one of the containers has cracked open enough to be a hazard. Since the military knows that we are equipped to handle this type of emergency, they have asked us to help."

The captain nodded, "So we change course?"

The Admiral pursed his lips and thoughtfully scanned the control room. "Mr. Morton," he motioned him to join them at the table. "Chip, you will be taking the Seaview ahead to rendezvous with a cargo freighter, Lee will explain. Lee, you and I will continue to the meeting with Dr. Koptish in FS1. This isn't simply a pleasure visit to the lab. Terrance sounded almost frantic to have us arrive." Nelson shook his head and frowned. "I've known him for a long time now and I've never heard him sound so upset. Lee, have FS1 prepared for immediate launch, we'll leave at once." He turned on his heel to leave. "Oh and Lee...make sure you check the weapons locker yourself." He frowned, "I want to be completely prepared."

Crane looked at his Exec with worried eyes. "I wonder if he's telling us all the facts or if this is another 'Admiral's hunch'."

The blond XO shook his head and smiled, "Does it make any difference? The Admiral's hunches usually are facts."

Lee returned the smile and added, "You have a point. Well Chip, I'll brief you on the situation with the freighter. Make sure Sharkey has the FS1 ready for launch immediately. I think I have some weapons to check." He shook his head thoughtfully. "I wonder what he's not telling us."

Chip laughed, "Don't worry, Lee. What you don't know, won't scare you."

"Thanks a lot, Chip. At least I won't have to wear lead underwear when I meet a certain freighter."

It was Chip's turn to look worried. "Huh?"

"Not to worry, Chip. It'll light up your life."

"Admiral, I know that Dr. Koptish has been a friend of yours for a long time. Do you have any idea what the problem could be?" Lee Crane asked from his seat next to Nelson, who handled the controls of FS1. With the storm still above them, they had stayed submerged. It was slower, but safer.

The Admiral paused for a moment before answering. Lee had the feeling that he was carefully considering his words. "Terry has worked on this project for fifteen years. I have never heard him sound less than enthusiastic about it." He glanced at Lee and shook his head. "But when I talked to him last, he was almost frantic. He wouldn't go into any detail, but he was ready to shut down the entire project."

"Shut it down, he gave no clue as to why?"

Nelson shook his head again, "None. But he wanted desperately to have me at that complex. Lee," he glanced around to look into Lee's dark eyes, "he said if I waited too long, it could be too late."

"Too late...too late for what?"

"I don't know. It was almost like we were cut off. I had the impression that someone had come into the room. He stopped in mid-sentence and completely changed the subject. Ended saying that he was looking forward to our visit and hoped the inspection would go as planned."

Crane frowned, " A cover, perhaps?"

"That's my thinking exactly. As far as the personnel of PacOceanic is concerned, we are here to account for any money that the Institute has invested into this project." He smiled grimly, "It may not make us popular with the other scientists, but we should hear some glowing reports of any projects in the works."

Lee fell silent for the moment, considering the possibilities ahead. He mentally reviewed the weapons locker and satisfied himself to its contents. Lee Crane's competent and relaxed manner was something that could quiet a control room full of panicked crewmen. It also caused many of those around him to forget that Lee Crane was also a dangerous man. With his background in ONI and his Navy training there weren't too many possibilities that he wasn't capable of handling.

At least, human possibilities. Since he started to work for the Admiral, he had learned that there were instances where his training was not enough. Life with Nelson and the Seaview had opened up a whole new world of possibilities. And he knew there were times that without the partnership of the man sitting next to him, his training would have been useless.

Somewhere in the course of commanding Seaview he had come to truly care about this volatile man. Some people thought he looked at Nelson as a father figure. But he chose to think in terns of brotherhood. If push came to shove, the team of Nelson and Crane would go down back to back, swimming until there wasn't any strength or enemy left.

Besides, when it came to fathering, there were times that the Admiral needed looking after far more than his captain did. There were times when Harriman Nelson thought life's nourishment existed in the project before him. More than once, Lee had to drag him out of the lab to make sure that he ate dinner and slept before he gave out completely.

If there were trouble at the underwater facility, the captain would be ready. He knew that the Admiral didn't consider him to be a glorified bodyguard. He would be counting on him to observe and offer analysis of all that happened as soon as they entered the complex. One of the great things about working for Nelson was that he valued the input of those around him. Maybe that was one of the things that made him a great scientist as well.

His thoughts were interrupted by the Admiral making contact with PacOceanic. They docked at the facility and listened for the signal that indicated the procedure was complete before they cracked open the hatch.

The room that they descended into was a smaller version of the missile room aboard Seaview, without the missiles. There were racks of diving equipment along the walls and an escape hatch on the far side of the room. On the other side of the room a heavy steel hatch opened as Nelson and Crane stepped down from the ladder into the room. The man that entered was much the same age as Nelson, but his hair was shock white, contrasting dramatically with the dark brown eyes that reflected the smile on his face.

He stretched out his hand to take the Admiral's. "Harry! It's good to see you again. How are you?"

The Admiral grinned back at him, "Never better, Terry." He turned and with a hand on the captain's shoulder ushered him forward. "You remember Lee."

"Of course. How are you Captain?" He shook Lee's hand as well.

"I'm well, thank you." Lee noted the worry lines in the other's face that hadn't been there the last time he'd seen the scientist. Lee settled back at the Admiral's shoulder as Koptish motioned them to follow him.

He led the way through a narrow corridor and through another watertight hatch. They entered a large center area that was the core of the complex. Different hallways branched out from this, each sealed with a watertight door and labeled above. Lee glanced around the circular room, noting the chairs and tables that were casually clustered about the area. There were hand-woven rugs in bright colors in the spaces between them and potted plants that seem to thrive in the artificial light. Obviously this was the community space, an attempt for the look of home. Since all the walls in the complex were white to make the best use of the lighting system, the personal colors that added the human touches were bright and cheerful.

Lee noticed that there was an unfinished puzzle on one table and an N scale train on another. He wondered briefly how that had made it down here in the limited space that was usually allowed for personal items. But then thinking about the kind of things that sometimes showed up in the crews quarters, he realized it wasn't such a stretch to the imagination.

Koptish interrupted Nelson's thoughts as he turned towards them again. "As you can see, we have tried to make this as homey as possible for the personnel. We have sixteen people working here at the moment, from five different countries. But one of the things that all of them have in common is the need to socialize. No matter what language we speak, we need each other. This room is as necessary as the rooms we sleep and eat in." He motioned toward the north corridor, "That way are the labs." Pointing the opposite direction he said, "This way are the living quarters and to the west are the kitchens, eating areas and storage. Back the way you came in are the power plants and electronics." He smiled at Nelson. "You don't know how long I have looked forward to showing you this, Harry. Without your input and backing this could never have been accomplished."

The Admiral looked slightly puzzled. "I'm glad I have the opportunity to finally be here."

The smile dropped from the doctor's face as he responded, "You can't begin to understand how glad I am that you are."

The handle on the door that led to the living quarters turned and the heavy door swung open, allowing a tall slender woman to enter the room. She was one of the nicest sights that Lee had seen as yet. Her hair was coiled up on her head in a golden coiffure that gleamed in the false lighting of the room. Her mouth was well shaped with a full bottom lip that Lee immediately classified as kissable. But her most notable feature was her deep green eyes...seductive eyes that held Lee captive in their embrace.

Out of the corner of his eye he noticed the Admiral stiffen slightly. He tore his eyes from the vision in front of him to look at his friend. One thing was apparent... the Admiral did not like this person.

Dr. Koptish cleared his throat, "Captain Crane, I don't think you have met my wife, Sara. Sara, this is Lee Crane, captain of the Seaview. I'm sure that you remember the Admiral."

She walked up to them and smiled with those lips, "Lee, what a pleasure to see a new face." She offered her hand and grasped Lee's hand firmly, holding it for an extended moment. She glanced to the Admiral and cooled slightly, "Of course I remember the Admiral. How does one forget? Are you here to see where all your money is going, Admiral? They are doing such fascinating things in the laboratories, all those fish tanks and sea weed...it must have some purpose." She shifted the emerald eyes toward her husband and smiled maliciously. "Have you told them about the newest discovery, Terry?"

"Sara!" Koptish said sharply, "Not now. There will be time later. Maybe the Admiral and the captain would like to see their quarters before dinner."

She leaned toward Lee and smiled, "Of course, I would be happy to show...them...to their quarters." She laughed lightly, "You'll need time to strengthen your resolve before you meet the rest of our little scientific family." Taking Crane by the arm she led them to the door she had just come through. "You stick with me, Captain. I can show you the ins and outs of under water socializing. Besides, these scientific types always get lost in the clouds. You wouldn't believe the conversation in this place."

Lee heard the other two following behind them. He felt that something beautiful and deadly hung on his arm and smiled into his eyes. He understood exactly why the Admiral didn't like this particular specimen of womanhood and suddenly those lips didn't seem quite so kissable.

Their quarters were small and efficient, with no wasted space. Lee was struck anew at how much the design of this place could have been used for a space station. Everything was compact and except for the community area, every space was serviceable.

He stood before the small mirror, straightened his tie and ran his hands over his hair. They had left their overnight carry-ons in the Flying Sub. Without knowing exactly what they were to expect, they hadn't brought them into the complex. He looked at his reflection and frowned. He would have to leave the leather jacket on...it covered the shoulder holster that a simple inspection would be sure to raise comments.

The Admiral had been placed in a room across the hall. If Lee knew his Admiral, he would be pacing the floor, impatient to get to the bottom of this situation. He grinned slightly at his twin in the mirror. In fact he did know his Admiral and maybe he should rescue him from the next stage of irritation. Right now he should have one fist shoved into the bottom of his pocket and the other would be trying to smooth out the knots of tension in the back of his neck. Actually if he waited for about five minutes, the Admiral would be pounding at his door. He shook his head at the dark-haired figure in the glass and headed for the door, better to brave the lion in his own den.

He knocked at the door and entered at Nelson's command. Lee swallowed a grin at the sight of the Admiral in the middle of the room, his fist in his pocket.

The Admiral looked at him with a frown and without preamble said, "I wonder what Koptish is up to. He urgently asks me to come here and after we are here, he shows us to our rooms and tells us to get ready for dinner."

Lee leaned back against the small desk against one wall and smiled at his friend's frustration. "Maybe he wants to tell us on a full stomach."

"Humph," Nelson grunted back. "Terry Koptish never used to be the kind that beat around the bush."

"Well, his wife was hinting at something when he cut her off."

Nelson glanced at him again, this time Lee could easily see the amusement in the blue depths. "Sara is always hinting at something. Usually pretty blatantly." He shook his head, "I swear, the only way Terry could successfully cut her off is to start at the neck."

Lee laughed, "But she makes a great entrance!"

"So does a depth charge, but I wouldn't want to be married to one." He looked at Lee and sobered slightly, "Just be careful around her, Lee. She comes in a neat package, but the skull and cross bones she has for a heart kills anything she touches. A piece of Terry died when he married her."

"He seems such a decent fellow, how did he get hooked up with her?"

Nelson shook his head and sighed. "Fool's gold I suppose."

"What?"

"Terry thought he struck gold and all it was, was a cheap imitation." He looked at his watch and glanced in the mirror, "Well, its time for dinner. Maybe we'll have some answers by the time we get to the dessert."

The mess hall contained several rectangular tables, but there was only one occupied when they entered the room. There were seven people sitting around the table and it was obvious from some of the antagonistic glares that the funding rumor had gotten around. He didn't know what the main course was, but it was apparent to Lee Crane that they were intending to have the Admiral for dinner. It was equally apparent that there had just been a discussion about it before they entered the room. The air was charged with heavy silence.

Terry Koptish surged to his feet, his mouth a thin line. "Admiral, welcome!" He indicated two empty chairs to his right...at least they would be able to put up a united front. Across the table was Koptish's wife, smiling and looking at him through lowered lashes. "I'm sure that most of you have met Admiral Nelson. His colleague is Captain Lee Crane." In turn he introduced the others at the table. The captain filed the information for future reference...along with first impressions.

Next to Sara Koptish was an older balding man, introduced as Dr. Leslie Wilson, who glowered at them through eyes as gray as the remaining circle of hair around the back of his head. To his left sat one of the most nondescript people that Crane had ever met. Her brown hair was cut in straight edges swinging against her rounded cheeks and short bangs hung over glasses that did nothing to enhance the brown eyes that stared a defiant hole through him. Her name was Angela Davis but she was nothing like an angel.

Across from her, next to Lee was Wilson's assistant Tom French. His expression was pleasant enough as he acknowledged the introduction, but then he had nothing to lose from budget discussions. His hair rivaled Sara's for color and his boyish grin after the glares of some of the other occupants of the room, helped Lee relax for the first time since he had arrived.

The last two at the table looked like they were cut from the same cloth. Both were older men, with what Lee called laboratory complexions. Jean Brusseau was a Frenchman that acknowledged the introduction with a cool nod. Across from him, next to the blunt-faced Angela, was Jared Thomas. He made no effort to respond to anything with more than an irritated grunt. It was a relief when the introductions were over.

The inquisition was served with the first course...a cold soup that was as tasteless as the comments that were thrown at the Admiral. Dr. Wilson looked like he had ants in his pants, as he barely sat still, fidgeting with ill-concealed anger. "Nelson, why should we have to justify our expenditures to your," he sneered slightly, "company? Your original funding has been paid back, with interest."

Nelson smiled slightly. "Dr. Wilson, I think maybe you mistake the Institute's involvement with the projects that we initially provide funding for. Our interest is an ongoing, hands on venture. The fact that we haven't visited this installation before this, is entirely due to the demands on our time. Something that we hope to rectify with this visit." Lee's smile matched his friend's; first point to the Admiral.

From the seat next to Wilson, Angela Davis frowned, "Perhaps you mistake funding for executive command."

The Admiral leaned back in his chair and appraised her through narrowed eyes. "Davis...you are the communications and computers expert."

She raised her brows above her glasses and nodded slightly.

Nelson acknowledged the unspoken question. "Personnel files."

Sara laughed from the other side of Wilson, "Maybe you are confusing personnel with personality."

Angela Davis snarled, "What would you know about personality?" She swung around to the Admiral again, "So you read the files. I have read about you as well, Admiral. But the name on this project is not the Nelson Institute. You have no authority here."

Dr. Koptish objected from his place at the head of the table. "Angela, please..."

Dr. Brusseau interrupted, his French accent heavy with displeasure, "She speaks for us all, Terrance. When we came here, we were promised complete control over our undersea projects. If this is to change, some of us will think of taking them elsewhere."

The Admiral held up his hand and frowned, "I think there has been a misunderstanding. The Nelson Institute isn't here to limit your projects or to appropriate them; nor am I here to take over."

Sara laughed again, a brittle sound that did nothing but add to the tense atmosphere of the room. "Maybe you should!"

"Sara!" her husband objected, "You are not helping."

Lee leaned forward and met an equally alert glance from the Admiral. Now they were getting to the root of the matter.

"Oh, I don't know darling, maybe I am. Admiral, maybe you should ask what is really making this table of self-righteous, indignant scientists so upset."

Wilson was really bouncing now. "Koptish, can't you for once control your wife?"

Nelson leaned forward and rested his elbows on each side of his untouched soup bowl and looked intently at Dr. Koptish. "Terry, what is this table of scientists so upset about?"

There was a general inhaling of breath as Koptish looked around the table and shook his head. "You know we can't keep this thing to ourselves."

"Koptish..." Wilson's voice hissed in a threat.

"Leslie, you know that this is not something that we can keep to ourselves. The ultimate decision needs to come from outside of this group."

Jared Thomas rose to his feet and said with contempt, "Ultimate decision. The fact is, as head of this complex you are unable to make any decisions of your own at all. Someone forgot to attach a backbone to the head of this project."

Sara laughed nastily, "Darling, you must admit that he has your number."

"Sara! Shut your dirty little mouth!" Her husband snarled. There was an uncomfortable silence around the table for a few moments. "Jared, sit down." He shook his head and took a deep breath. "I wanted to ease into this carefully. I thought if we could start a business discussion, maybe all of this could be discussed like the professionals that we are."

"The fact is, Admiral Nelson and the captain are not here about funding or taking over. They are here at my request. No, please be still. As Jared was so adroitly pointed out, I am the head of this project and it was my decision to bring this discovery someone in the outside world. We have been here long enough to know that there is a very real temptation to become isolated...too easy to disconnect from the outside world. But the fact is, we are all still a part of this world. This thing that we have found can affect the entire planet,"

Crane felt a pang of fear hit the center of his chest. They had been involved in too many projects that affected the entire planet not to feel a moment's panic.

Beside him, Nelson straightened in his chair, "What has been discovered, Terry?"

"It is actually Dr. Wilson's discovery, but we have all worked on it." He looked at Wilson and said almost gently, "You know we have to tell him, Leslie. None of us are murderers and short of killing them and killing me, you will have to tell them. We don't want to loose any more people."

The balding scientist seemed to deflate in his chair. "You didn't have to do this Terrance. We could have experimented more...found even more properties for these compounds. We could have found ways to see that we didn't harm anyone else."

From the other end of the table the Frenchman erupted, "Bah! I will have nothing more to do with this." He surged to his feet and stalked from the room.

"Anyone else want to leave?" Koptish asked quietly.

Tom French grinned, "Not when it's getting this interesting."

Wilson glared at his assistant and looked straight across at Nelson. "As you know, we are in the middle of a chain of volcanoes here. It circles the western coastline of the United States in what is refereed to as The Ring of Fire."

Nelson nodded, "Yes I am aware of that fact."

"Of course. I am sure that you also know that past eruptions in the ring has deposited a veritable gold mine of minerals. It is one of the things that we anticipated when the complex was placed here. This area hasn't been deeply investigated...another reason for the location. As well as being a rather large shelf in an otherwise rocky region."

"At the edge of this plateau, there is a drop-off of thousands of feet. Until now, there was no place in the Pacific that was known to be this deep. Dr. Thomas has been working on robotics that are able to maneuver at this depth. Along with Ms. Davis' computers we have been able to bring up samples of the sea bottom at the deepest point."

Lee could almost feel the Admiral quiver with suppressed excitement. Or maybe he was just so in tune with Nelson's excitement for new discovery that he was beginning to catch the bug himself.

"We were able to bring up three hitherto undiscovered minerals. In their original form they are seemingly inoffensive. But when changed to a gaseous form we began to notice extraordinary change." Wilson began to talk with excitement, warming to the chance to discuss the discovery. "One mineral seems to be the catalyst. When mixed with one of the minerals and introduced to a tumored rat it drastically reduced the growth of the tumor. If fact the response to the introduction of the mixture was incredible. When mixed with the other mixture, the response was just as dramatic. The rodent died instantly...as did the lab assistant."

Sara snorted. "We'll miss Charlie...and the lab assistant too."

Wilson ignored her. "He was dead in a moment. But when we came into the room, not more than five minutes later, there wasn't any affect. The mixture dissipated completely. Two days later we repeated the experiment again, under more controlled circumstances. The same thing happened. The first mixture affects abnormal growth, much like a mineral antibody. The second affects the entire human system. It completely shuts it down. It is undetectable, quick and deadly...and it is gone in less than five minutes."

Lee's voice was soft, "The ultimate weapon..."

Terry Koptish finished beside the silent Nelson, "Or the ultimate cure."

"This isn't a moral dilemma, Terry." Lee Crane watched the Admiral pace the floor of the now empty mess hall. Nelson was irritated, extremely. "This installation can't support this type of research."

Koptish was equally upset. "And what exactly is it set up for, Harry? There was every possibility that we could run into anything. Did you think that we would only run into safe easy types of research here? You've been out here long enough to realize that isn't realistic. What would you have us do? Dump all that we have learned from this material? Think of the possibilities."

The Admiral threw up his hands in exasperation, "I AM thinking of the possibilities. Don't you think that mankind has enough possibilities for total wipe out?"

"And what about the combination that produced the positive results?"

Nelson nodded with controlled patience. "Okay, then get rid of the third compound." They both watched Koptish's reaction. The Admiral nodded again, "Not so easy to do, is it, Terry? I take it you have discussed it with the others? How many people in this place know about this? All seventeen? No, make that sixteen, one dead."

The doctor sat down in one of the chairs and ran his hand over his beard. "How can we discard research, Harry? We haven't explored all the properties of these mixtures. How much could we do with something that heals like this does?"

"We're not talking about the compound that heals, Terry. You know that. Let me ask you Doctor, when is a bargain not a bargain? Let me tell you, it's when you can't afford the price. It was worth the price to the rat that lived, but what about the animal that died? Or the lab technician...do you think that this person would think the price was too high? How about the family?"

"Harry, that isn't fair. You know that research often involves death. If we thought that was too high of a price, there would be no research."

Nelson ran a hand over the side of his head and responded, "That's true, but this installation isn't equipped to handle weapons research. That is what you are doing, Terry. Is that what you built this place for? Are you prepared to research something that has the potential to eliminate mankind?"

There was silence in the room. Koptish wouldn't look at either of the men. The Admiral sighed deeply, "Terry, why did you call us here? A balm to your conscience, or did you feel that you could shift the responsibility to someone else?"

The doctor's voice sounded tired, "Harry, there is absolutely no way that my fellow scientists are willing to bury any of this." He shook his head. "You are right, of course. I should never have called you here. There have been threats made since it was discovered that you were coming."

The Admiral cast a side-glance at Lee and sat down on the edge of the table. "What kind of threats?"

"Against me, against you, and against taking this discovery out of the complex."

"Who is making the threats?" Lee asked.

"I don't know. The messages are typed and unsigned." He snorted in derision. "It probably should have a group signature."

The Admiral frowned, "I take it then, that yours is the only voice for outside influence."

"You take it right."

"How violent are these threats?" Nelson was up and pacing again.

Koptish shook his head absently. "The usual 'or else' messages. You know, there are times that I think the chasm that we found these compounds in is at the edge of hell and that we've sold our souls to the devil. Or maybe it's just me that sold his soul." He looked at Lee. "They are right, you know. My backbone was never attached. That's probably hard for someone like you to understand. I know it's hard for my wife to understand. I shouldn't have asked you here. I'm not sure how I will be able to insure your safety.

The Admiral shook his head, "That's a pointless line of thought, Terry. Lee and I have been known to take care of ourselves in similar situations. I think the first thing I want to do is see the lab results...possibly run some tests of my own. May we assume that the others will be willing, now that we are here, to let us take part in some experiments?"

Koptish smiled bitterly, "Hopefully you won't BE the lab experiment. I will convince them that you are willing to help with the development of the minerals. I must warn you however, that you will not be trusted. These people are guarding this discovery like a dog with a bone." He leaned forward and ran his hands over his face. "How did it come to this, Harry? Where did the dreams go?"

Nelson walked over and laid a hand on the scientist's shoulder. "Terry, your dreams haven't changed, it's your colleague's dreams that have changed. One of the great tragedies of life is that the spark of discovery often flames the fire of greed. Unfortunately Pandora's Box has already been opened. If we can't get the lid back on, maybe we can minimize the damage." The Admiral stood to his feet and looked at Lee with a small smile. "We have opened a few boxes of our own on Seaview. We have become experts at shutting down them down."

His gaze returned to Koptish, "I think the first order of the day is to see that lab. I want copies of the test results. Maybe we can convince them that I am willing and able to add something to the experiments. Maybe, if we are lucky, we can convince them that I am as greedy as the rest of them."

Lee Crane followed the Admiral and Dr. Koptish into PacOceanic's laboratory, sealing the watertight door behind them with the familiarity of long practice. The lab was surprisingly spacious. There was the usual scientific equipment, some of which Lee could identify. Research wasn't his department. However he wasn't a stranger to its implements. Behind a thick glass partition two people were working in air tanks and protective suits.

Dr Wilson and his assistant Tom French were watching the monitors in front of them, interpreting the data that Angels Davis' computers fed them from the isolation chamber. In the far corner of the lab, Dr. Brusseau leaned over a microscope. As one they turned as the captain sealed the door behind them. From the looks of hostility on the faces of the scientists in the room, the atmosphere was much thicker than the glass partition that protected them all from contamination.

It was obvious that the Admiral wasn't intimidated as he strode to the window and glanced at Wilson. "Have you found a safe containment for transportation?"

Wilson leaned back in his chair and looked at the Admiral through narrowed eyes. "Yes the molecular structure of the gas makes metallic cylinders highly effective. Transportation where?"

Nelson smiled enigmatically, "Nowhere in particular, Doctor. Safe containment is one of the first priorities when dealing with any chemical."

"Don't attempt to tell me my job, Nelson. I know my priorities."

"Do you? I wonder. But Doctor, I have no intention of telling you your job. It's obvious that you are well aware of all facets of your work. However there is a possibility that I may offer a fresh perspective. Would you mind an observer? I'm sure you realize that I'm no stranger to a lab. There is also a probability that we may be able to offer you some possible, er, outlets for your finished product. Outlets that have nothing to do with the Institute...places that are outside the usual contacts."

Crane held his breath as they waited to see the other's reaction to this statement. His remark was met by a stunned silence, then Angela Davis took a step in their direction, her hands clenched in fists at her sides. Tom French broke the tension with a light voice. "What a nefarious comment, Admiral. Be careful, you're blowing your image."

Nelson's grin was worthy of Blackbeard. "Images are made to be blown. I'm not at all averse to profiting from research. This particular product would need special handling. Of course if you already have an outlet..."

Wilson contemplated the Admiral for a few seconds. "There is a possibility that you may be of help, Nelson. We could always use an extra hand...in the lab...and out."

The Admiral nodded, "Good." He turned toward the captain, "Lee, see if you can contact Seaview. Let them know that we are going to be longer than we anticipated."

The captain nodded with a sinking feeling. He wanted nothing more than to stay and protect the Admiral. He could think of at least ten different ways for a man to die in this lab. Ways that could look like an accident. He looked into his friend's eyes and willed him to take care. In the depths of Nelson's eyes was a silent acknowledgement.

The assistant, French stood to his feet, "I'd be happy to show the Captain to the communication's station."

And keep an eye on me, Crane thought, as he looked away from the Admiral and took in the casual innocence of the younger man. "Thanks, I'd appreciate that."

At the door of the lab, Lee looked back over his shoulder as the Admiral settled into the vacant chair beside Dr. Wilson. Beside him French grinned, "Don't worry so much, Captain. The gas is on the other side of the glass."

Lee looked at him and saw the lethal threat beneath the smiling facade. "That's fortunate. If anything were to happen to the Admiral while we are gone, I would take it very personally."

The other laughed, "What could happen? All of the experiments are behind glass, Captain. The Admiral is as safe as you are." They started down the corridor. "I take it that you and Nelson are friends? Or is he just your ticket to fame and glory?"

The captain could feel the heat of anger darken his cheeks, "Admiral Nelson isn't my ticket anywhere. He is a friend, something that you obviously have limited experience with."

French raised a hand, but never lost his smile. "No offense intended, Captain. There aren't a lot of chances to make friends here." His grin widened, "Unless you count the lovely Sara. That friendship has no fame or fortune...but some significant profits."

Crane's voice dripped with sarcasm, "I'm sure."

French laughed, "The oh, so heroic Captain Crane is offended. Or maybe you are just sorry I beat you to her."

Lee stopped and turned to face the blond assistant. "French, why don't you just shut up. You're right...I don't like you, but then I'm not required to. So far, I don't particularly like anyone here. Again, I'm not required to. If you have something going on with Mrs. Koptish, that's between the three of you. I'm not interested in small talk with you, just directions. If you still feel the need to chat, I think that you should know I am prepared to shut your mouth for you."

The other held up both hands and laughed easily, "Hey, I was just getting aquatinted. No need to throw your weight around, Captain."

They walked in silence for a few minutes. Outside of the door marked Communications French turned to directly face the captain, "You can give your message to the radio operator to send, Captain. It will be sent for you. We wouldn't want your communication to be misinterpreted, would we."

"Of course not."

French nodded. "Good. After that, maybe you would like to rest in your quarters. When Dr. Wilson is interrupted as early as he was today, he quite often works late into the night. Not that night has too much meaning down here." He turned to go and paused, "Oh and Captain, except for the sleeping quarter, the lab, or the community area, there aren't a lot of places to go down here. We all would appreciate it if you stick to these. Wandering into other areas could be cause for another kind of misinterpretation." French continued down the corridor without a backward glance.

Lee watched him as he disappeared around a bend in the hallway. He had the feeling that he'd come out on the short end of that confrontation. He didn't like Tom French...in fact he wondered if the man would react to a salt bath the way any slug would.

Lee's watch read 06:00 when the quiet knock at the door awakened him from his troubled sleep. He was at the door in seconds, opening it and pulling whomever was on the other side through. The Admiral looked at him in amusement. "The element of surprise, I presume."

Lee relaxed tense muscles and grinned back ruefully, "Sorry, Admiral." His smile turned to a frown as he took in the Admiral's tired face. "You worked all night?"

Nelson walked the short distance to the other side of Lee's room and nodded, "Yes, but that isn't important now. Lee...these elements are fascinating. I've never seen such a scientific incongruity. It's a gaseous Jekyll and Hyde. The medical possibilities of this find could set pharmacology ahead fifty years."

Lee's brows raised in surprise, "After one night, you've changed your mind?"

Nelson grunted, "Of course not. The destructive possibilities of this mixture, in the wrong hands, could destroy a good portion of humanity."

"It's that strong?"

"Umhum." The Admiral ran a hand over the side of his head and stretched the muscles in his back. "I've never seen such lethal efficiency. Lee, just a few molecules of the second mixture are enough to kill the two of us standing here. Imagine the possibility of two small cylinders, one of the catalyst and one of mixture 'B', the lethal combination , being introduced into the air ducts of any major government building. Perhaps an occasion when the President addresses Congress. Or maybe a meeting of the House of Commons; the possibilities are endless. Lee, the cylinders don't even have to be in the same air duct, air currents in the room would create a fatal dosage."

Lee was silent for a moment, appalled at the implications. "What do we do about this?"

Nelson expelled a breath of exasperated laughter, "Lee, at this point, I haven't a clue. If it would help, we would take the Flying Sub out and blow this place off of the sea floor. But I don't know what the mixture would do if released into these waters. They actually have quite a bit of the gas accumulated." The Admiral sighed and rubbed a hand over bloodshot eyes. "We know in a natural state, there isn't a problem. But broken down into the gaseous form, well, it could have far reaching ramifications."

Lee jumped as the Admiral threw a hand up and exclaimed in agitation, "We have to buy some time!"

"You haven't been able to convince them that you really want to help?"

Nelson shook his head, "It is ironic, Koptish brought us here to get himself out of this fix and the fact that we came, may have escalated the situation."

"Well, my conversation with Tom French didn't make me feel any better. In fact, I definitely think he is involved."

The Admiral snorted, "He's up to his elbows in it. But, he's not the only one."

Lee's frown deepened, "Is there anyone we can trust, besides Dr. Koptish?"

Nelson shook his head, "I'm not sure. I'm actually not sure just how much we can trust Koptish. He's changed in the last few months...lost sight of the fact that the mark of a good scientist is more than the degrees behind his name. All the knowledge in the world won't make up for a man that's lost his integrity."

"Do you think Koptish has lost his integrity?"

Lee could read the sadness in the Admiral's eyes. "I think he's lost his soul. I suspect that some of it has to do with his marriage. But, I'm sure that in part it's the fact that he had the brilliant mind to build this place, but lacks the leadership to carry it. No, I don't think that we can count on help from Terry." He paused, "But I do want you to see if you can talk to Jared Thomas."

"The silent one from dinner?"

"Uh huh. I have a feeling that he may not be in as deep as some of his fellow scientists. But Lee, be careful. Make it as casual as possible. I'm not sure about anything, in fact the only thing I am sure about, is that they are amassing this mixture and we don't have much time."

Lee found Dr. Thomas in the mess hall, at a table by himself. He was quietly spooning cereal into his mouth as he stared straight ahead. There were several others in the mess, but the space around Thomas was conspicuously empty. Lee poured himself a cup of coffee from a pot on a hotplate on the counter and sat across from the scientist. "Do you mind if I join you?"

Jared Thomas blinked, focusing on the captain. "I suppose not. I was just leaving."

Lee looked down at the half-finished bowl of cereal. "I see. I was hoping we could talk."

The gray-haired man studied him through eyes as blue as the Admiral's. "Why?"

Lee took a sip of coffee and smiled, "We didn't get to hear your opinion at dinner last night."

Thomas put the spoon softly into the bowl and responded, "You heard the voice of the majority, isn't that what is important?"

"It isn't always the majority that has the important voice."

The doctor's face was expressionless, "But the voice of the majority is always the loudest. It quite often drowns out the truth."

Lee said quietly, "Maybe not this time."

The eyes that reminded Lee so much of the Admiral grew intense. "I understand that Nelson is working in the lab." It wasn't a question. "I understand too, that he supports the experimentation."

Lee paused for a few seconds, still not sure which side of the fence this man walked on. "The Admiral is a cautious man. He knows that the fastest way to understand a situation is to get involved with it."

"So he doesn't support the experiments."

Lee sighed inwardly...the man definitely wanted a commitment one way or the other. "Let's just say that the Admiral is also a sensible man."

Thomas laughed softly, a dry sound that didn't involve humor. "How very reticent of you Captain."

Lee did allow his smile to reach his eyes. "Commitment involves a measure of trust, Doctor."

Thomas nodded slowly. "I do want to talk with you, Captain. However...not here. I will meet you in your cabin in fifteen minutes. Please don't follow me immediately. I'm sure you realize that you are being watched."

"My cabin is locked."

The other smiled, "I have obtained a master key. It is so convenient, you see. Fifteen minutes, Captain." Thomas picked up his bowl and left the table.

The Captain finished his coffee and followed Jared Thomas out of the mess hall. He stopped in the community area and watched a couple put together a puzzle, pointing out a missing piece that filled a small section at the bottom. He hoped that he would have a missing piece to the puzzle that Dr Thomas had presented in the next few minutes. He rounded the corner that led to his quarters. It didn't seem like he had been followed. Of course it would depend on how sophisticated their security was and maybe just how connected it was to Angela Davis' computers.

He slipped into the room to find Thomas quietly sitting in the only chair in the corner of the room. He was holding a Lee's communication link to Seaview in his hand. "Are you in touch with your submarine, Captain?"

Lee debated for a moment, then decided on the truth. "No, Seaview is still out of range."

The other nodded, then placed the communications device on the table next to the chair.
"I was greatly distressed when you arrived, Captain."

Crane frowned, "Why, were you afraid of interference?"

"No, no. Interference is much too late at this point. I truly admire the work of Admiral Nelson. That is why I was so surprised when he began working in the lab, experimenting with this deadly mixture."

Lee was puzzled. "The Admiral felt that the best way to understand what was happening here was to actually witness the experiments. It was easier to make some of them feel he was open to using both mixtures. It doesn't necessarily mean that he is."

Thomas shook his head and smiled slightly, "That doesn't actually make it any easier."

Still puzzled, Lee asked, "Doesn't make what easier?"

The doctor crossed his legs and leaned back in the chair. The blue eyes were hooded as the smile faded from his lips. "You can imagine the excitement when the three minerals were discovered. It was much like an archeologist discovering a new civilization. I haven't felt that much excitement in an establishment in many years." He paused, the smile coming back to the older man's face. Lee waited patiently for him to continue.

"When it was discovered that the two first mixtures could be used for medicinal purposes, all of us were ecstatic. And then the second mixture was discovered. I wish I could explain to you exactly what happened. The closest that I am able to come, is a darkening shadow moved over this installation. Maybe that sounds dramatic, but it was almost palpable. It was much like evil descended. It was shortly after this, that I began making plans."

Lee was beginning to fear the worst now, "What plans?"

"On a trip for supplies, when we were still allowed to leave, I made contact with some acquaintances I made during the war. It wasn't difficult, a few words in the right ears, some money exchanged."

Lee's throat was getting dry as he listened to the man sitting quietly in the chair. "What are you talking about?"

"During the war, my scientific abilities were put to good use, Captain. I made weapons for the allies. The more violent, the more destructive, the better. I handed over explosives that were horrendous. On one mission, I actually was ordered to assist in the usage of a new material. We used my explosive invention to destroy a bridge. What it did to the men on that bridge..."he shook his head, "I still have nightmares. I decided then, that I would never engage in research that could do that to humans again. And yet, here I am...surrounded with research that has the potential to destroy so many. I cannot live with that, Captain."

"And so you made plans to change it?"

Thomas nodded slowly. "I made plans to change it."

Lee waited...the feeling of uneasiness growing to fear in the pit of his stomach.

"I brought back a significant amount of the very explosive material that I invented. Very ironic, don't you think? I have set charges in this installation that will effectively rid humanity of this threat."

"What?" Lee ran a hand over his dark curls. "But, what about the innocent, what about yourself?"

"Captain, I must make you understand. Sixteen people are in this complex, including yourself. What is that compared to humanity? You are expendable, as I am. One of the only things that came out of the war that I treasure is my beloved wife. She is gone now, but our children live. There is nothing that I wouldn't sacrifice to save them."

Crane strode over to the scientist and took him by the shoulders, "Where did you plant the explosives, Doctor?"

"It is too late Captain, there is nothing you can do."

"Nothing...when is this happening?"

The other calmly looked at his watch. "In exactly seven minutes an explosion will take place in the lab...the computers, to be exact. It will destroy all the data that has been collected on the three mixtures. A moment later, there will be an explosion in the main generators. This will switch everything to emergency power, causing confusion throughout the complex. The emergency power will generate enough electricity to set off the fuse to the explosive that I have set for the containment area that hold the cylinders of gas. Fifteen minutes later there will be several larger explosions that will completely devastate this installation. But the mixture will no longer be a threat because it will be after the mixture loses its effectiveness. No one will feel effects of the destruction, for all will be dead."

Lee leaned over Thomas and stared for a horrified moment into the other's eyes. "There is nothing you can do, Captain."

Lee Crane tore at the door to his quarters. It wasn't in Crane's nature to accept death...not while there was any life left in him. Time seemed to move with fantastic speed, while his legs moved in agonizing slowness. He had four minutes before Thomas' explosions began. He ran down the corridor and rounded the corner into the community area. He hardly noticed the two sitting at the puzzle table. He yelled something at them as he passed. But though they looked at him in shock, neither moved to follow him.

He slid to a stop before the lab door and wrapped his fingers around the wheel on the waterproof door. He had the door half open when the explosion tore apart the computer in the lab. The concussion threw the door back into him, breaking nails and bruising his knuckles.

He pushed the door open again, not stopping to see if the seal of the undersea lab was breached. At this point it wouldn't make any difference. He had no intention of leaving without the Admiral...not to mention that if the rest of Thomas' schedule was accurate, there wouldn't be time to escape without a plan. There was another explosion, muffled through the heavy door. The lights went out for a few seconds before the emergency lights came on in a dim red glow.

Lee moved through the haze of burned circuits, the smoke drifting eerily in the red light. He could see the body of Angela Davis under the front section of the computer. Her plain features were a darker red smear in the emergency lighting.

The captain looked frantically through the mess of human wreckage, searching for familiar auburn hair. He spotted the Admiral facedown beside the console that he'd been working at the day before. Dr. Wilson's body crossed Nelson's legs and beside them, crushed under the console, was Tom French. From the angle of his head, Lee knew that he was dead.

He was reaching for the Admiral when he heard an exclamation from the door. "What is happening here?" Koptish's voice was a ragged whisper in the room, mixing with the sound of burning wires and shorting circuits.

Lee ignored him as he pulled Wilson's body off of the Admiral and turned him over carefully. The side of the Admiral's face was smeared with blood from a gash on his forehead. The Captain checked for a pulse as he cradled his friend's head in his other hand. He expelled a breath in silent relief as he felt the strong and steady beat of the Admiral's heart.

Koptish was beside him then, asking once more, "What happened?"

Lee grabbed Koptish by the shirtfront, "It's Thomas, he's going to blow the mixtures in the containment area! How do we stop him?"

Koptish's face was blank with stunned terror, "I don't know. Dear God help us, I don't know."

Lee indicated the Admiral with a jerk of his head, "He was right, wasn't he? You aren't set up for weapon's research. You don't have any safety backups. You have no way to stop this."

The doctor shook his head silently. "What are we going to do?"

Lee released his grip on the other's shirt with contempt, "I think that just maybe we're going to die."

"Lee," the Admiral's voice was a harsh whisper, "Lee."

"Admiral, I'm here."

"Lee...behind the glass...the experiments...airtight..."

"The glass..." He looked up at the thick window that separated the main part of the lab from the experiments that had taken place earlier. Lee turn to Koptish, "Would we be safe in there?" The other just looked at him blankly, "Listen to me! Will we be safe from the gas in there?"

Koptish nodded slowly, "Yes, if they weren't experimenting with the second mixture."

Nelson coughed and gasped, "Safe..."

Lee began to gather his friend into his arms. "Help me, it may be too late already. We have to get him moved."

The doctor shook his head slowly, "I can't. Sara...I have to find Sara."

Lee snarled, "There isn't time. The only way to survive is to get behind the glass. Koptish!" he yelled.

"I'll be back as soon as I can. I have to find Sara." The scientist shouted over his shoulder, "Get in there!"

"No!" Lee roared his protest to an empty room. There wasn't time to go after him. There was the sound of another, smaller explosion. A surge of adrenaline sent power to his arms as he pulled the Admiral's body over his shoulder and almost ran for the enclosed area. He laid Nelson on the floor and shut and sealed the door.

Lee collapsed beside the Admiral on the floor. He closed his eyes in horror, trying desperately to block from his mind what was happening in the undersea complex. There were no sounds, no screams of terror. The gas hit so quickly that most of the personnel mercifully had no idea what was happening. But, the captain's cheeks were wet with tears as he counted off the minutes.

The captain turned to his friend to check for more injuries. There was another long gash on his left arm, turning the sleeve of his uniform dark with blood. Lee stripped down to his tee shirt and tore long lengths of material from his shirt. He wrapped makeshift bandages around the Admiral's arm and head.

Lee glanced at his watch...five minutes. They said the gas dissipated in five minutes. Lee gave it an extra two minutes before he began to gather Nelson in his arms again.

"What?" Nelson's voice was still harsh in the quiet of the glass enclosure.

"Admiral, I'm sorry. I know this is going to hurt, but we have to go. This place is going to blow and if we don't get to the Flying Sub in eight minutes, so will we. If I help you, can you walk?"

The Admiral grunted in response and used what strength he had to help Crane get him to his feet. "Lee, leave me here. You won't make it in time with me. It can't be helped, go...now."

The captain didn't hesitate as he pulled Nelson toward the door and unsealed it. "Lee, that's...an order."

Lee glanced at him grimily, "Admiral, with all due respect, please be quiet."

"Humph," was the response.

As they rounded the corner into the community area, they could see in the red glow of the emergency lights the terrible effectiveness of the deadly gas. The two people that had been working at the puzzle lay amidst the pieces beside the overturned table. Dr. Thomas was lying halfway through the watertight door that led to the sleeping quarters. His face was twisted in a mask of fear. Of all the personnel, he had been the one that was most aware of what was happening.

Fear pushed at their feet and they moved with quick steps through the complex. Lee opened the watertight hatch that lead to the Flying Sub, gasping when it would only move a few inches. He leaned the Admiral against the wall and shouldered his weight against the door. It opened slowly and he threw Nelson's arm around his shoulders and pulled him through the door. Bile rose in his throat as he stepped on the hand of the body that had blocked the door. The man was the same one that had greeted them yesterday.

They crossed the room in a near dash and he pushed the Admiral against the ladder. "Admiral, you've got to climb this ladder. I'll help, but you are going up."

The Admiral's snort of laughter was more of a gasp as he said, "Yes, Sir."

Lee didn't give him much time as he nearly pushed him up the ladder and through the hatch in FS 1. He nearly dropped him on the floor as he secured the hatch. Lee was at the controls in a second... powering up the Flying Sub. The captain threw switches in frantic haste, disengaged from the undersea lab, and pulled up in a sharp incline.

Below them, in the lab was a rumble that began as a low growl in the ocean depths. It was the death throes of a magnificent achievement. Lee turned FS 1 away from the scene, but the darkness of the deep was lightened as PacOceanic was blown apart.

Lee Crane rounded the corner on his way to the Admiral's cabin. He smiled slightly when he saw Chip Morton standing outside the door. "Morning Chip. Quiet night?"

The blond XO smiled back, "Nothing to report. I, uh, thought I would make my report directly to the Admiral."

Lee grinned, "Wanted to check up on him too, huh?"

Chip nodded sheepishly. "He looked so miserable yesterday in Sick Bay. I just thought I would look in on him."

The smile faded from Lee's face, "My thought, too." He hitched a thumb toward the door, "Maybe you'd better knock before he yells at us for talking outside his door."

Chip rapped on the door and the Admiral told them to come in. He glanced up at them from his seat at his desk. The bandage across his forehead gave him a rakish look, but the smile he gave them was welcoming.

Nelson motioned them to the chairs in front of his desk. "Chip, I was reading your report on the radioactive cargo. It was an excellent job. But," Nelson shook his head, "some heads are going to roll over this."

Chip nodded, "Especially the Cargo Master. The cable that he approved for securing this material was definitely substandard. There is sure to be an inquiry."

"If not a criminal charge." Nelson looked down through the report. "You obviously had no trouble securing the cargo."

"No Sir." He glanced mischievously toward Lee. "And not a pair of lead underwear in sight."

Lee returned the look with a laugh and said in response to the Admiral's puzzled expression, "Extra equipment I suggested he take along."

Nelson tossed the report down on the desk and smiled, "I see...good advice. Maybe they should become standard equipment."

Lee looked amused, "Sometimes the best weapon is the offensive one."

Chip rolled his blue eyes at the Captain. "Now that IS offensive."

It only took a moment before they realized they had lost the Admiral. He stared at the report on his desk...his thoughts caught somewhere in the events of the last few days.

Chip cleared his throat, "I understand it was pretty bad down there, Sir."

Nelson frowned, "What?"

"Lee told me it was pretty bad down there."

The Admiral nodded absently. "Yes, yes it was. I'm just having a terrible time reconciling the loss. The people... Terry... the complex... all such a waste."

The two friends were silent, waiting for Nelson to continue.

A look of profound sadness deepened the lines in the Admiral's face. "I wish you both could have known Terry when he was younger, before he met Sara. Marriage to her undermined his self-will and I think in some ways, his self-respect. He was an incredible scientist, and a good friend. And his death was so meaningless. A lifetime of achievement destroyed in what...thirty minutes."

Lee shook his head, "It was destroyed before we even got there, Admiral. They described part of the mixture as a kind of mineral antibody. But it was more like a mineral virus. It infected all those that were at that complex...Dr. Koptish, with his inability to control those under him, Dr Thomas with his fear and the others with their greed."

Chip shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe the fact that you weren't there during the first wave of excitement made it easier to see the whole picture."

Lee nodded his agreement, "I don't think there were truly evil people at PacOceanic, just people caught up in something too large for them to handle."

The Admiral considered this for a moment before smiling at the younger men. "Perhaps you're right." The captain could see the gleam of pride in Nelson's eyes. "When did you both get so wise?"

The captain's smile lit his dark eyes with an amber glow, "When we started hanging around the right people." Lee could see the other's features lighten. "Why don't you catch a few hours sleep? If we cut through some of the paperwork before we make it to port, Chip and I can promise you the best night out on the town you've had since YOU started hanging out with the right people!"

The Admiral pushed his chair back, "Oh you can, can you? I probably can teach you both a thing or two. I'm not that old."

Lee and Chip exchanged a relieved glance as they listened to their friend's grumbling complaints. Healing would take time...it always did. But the currents of life would take the Admiral past the pain and on to new adventures.