Deep Blue Sea

by Ahallah Swiftclaw

Disclaimer: I don't own seaQuest (although I would really like it if you gave me Lucas, you know, as an early birthday present) and I really don't have any money so you shouldn't sue me. Really. I also don't own the movie Deep Blue Sea and this is a shameless crossover. Both belong to their respective owners.

Rating: Well, this is going to be travelling from G to R from beginning to end. R for Really Bad Violence.

Deep Blue Sea
by Ahallah Swiftclaw

Lucas stepped off the *seaQuest* launch and gazed at the helicopter waiting to take them to what he personally called the 'smart shark' compound otherwise known as *Aquatica*. He turned back towards Captain Bridger and Doctor Westphalen, his travelling companions. "Why are we doing this again?" he half-whined.

Kristen sighed and glanced over at the teenager while Bridger moved forward to talk with their guide. "We are doing this because the UEO, who is overseeing this project, wants our imput on it. Basically, if the scientists don't show real results, and we can tell what real results are, they are going to scrap the whole thing."

"When did they start?"

"About a year and three months ago." Kristen looked away from the boy and walked over to where Bridger was still talking.

"Why would they scrap the entire thing so soon?" Lucas mused, then realized that his party was over by the helicopter, all getting into it. "Hey, wait up!"

The entire group half turned and the pilot, a woman whom Lucas recognized as their guide, twisted to shout at the Captain and Doctor. "You brought a bloody _kid_ here?!" Lucas flushed pink, but climbed in the 'copter and sat next to Kristen.

In answer to her question, Bridger asked another one, this time using the mike system. "You ever heard of the vocoder project?"

"Yes," the woman's voice had a slight British accent to it. "It has to do with dolphins and translating their clicks into speech. What does that have to do with anything?"

"He invented the whole thing." Bridger pointed to the youth. The woman raised one eyebrow speculatively. "Lucas, meet Dr. Susan McAlester. Dr. McAlester, meet Lucas Wolenchezack." They both nodded at each other, then McAlester continued with her conversation with Bridger.

"Well, although that is extremely promising," she nodded at Lucas again, "we are dealing with sharks here, not dolphins."

Lucas decided to speak up on his own behalf. "I understand that, Doctor, but how can you decided whether or not it was a good idea to let me come when you are so vague over the vid-link in describing the project?" The older captain shot the teenager a warning glance that was promptly ignored.

"Well, you see Mr. Wolenchezack, we are dealing with sharks, one of the oldest animals of all time. The sharks don't lose memory capacity as they age as humans do; so, we are basically extracting a certain DNA compound from the shark's brain after imputing certain chemicals to produce greater amounts of that compound. This will greatly help Alzheimer's patients to regain their memory loss and will help millions of lives."

"What's the catch?" Lucas asked specifically.

"Catch? What catch?"

"There's always a catch to these things. Either someone has to do something that is usually unpleasant or something also usually unpleasant was done in order to allow whatever good thing 'for humanity' to happen. So, which is it?" He looked at her curiously, opening his mouth to continue.

"Lucas!" Bridger was all out glaring at the boy, so he snapped his mouth shut with an audible click and started to sulk. The captain turned towards McAlester. "I'm terribly sorry, Doctor. I'm sure that Lucas is just-"

"Stating his own opinion," he muttered, making sure that the microphone picked up his words.

Bridger scowled at him and Lucas sunk further into his seat. "As I was saying, I'm sure that he is only worried about the safety of the animals and your crew." It was Bridger's turn to ignore the look Lucas shot him: the classic teenager 'you have got to be kidding' that accompanied the raised eyebrow.

"_And_," Kristen decided to speak up, skewering the youth with a glower, "I'm sure that he is going to have a few lessons in politeness very soon."

Lucas just rolled his eyes and leaned against the window, away from Kristen and Bridger. About five minutes later, a large complex, stark gray against the blue-black of the ocean appeared on the horizon. Staring for a second more, he turned back towards now silent McAlester. "Is that the complex? Aquatica?" he demanded, unable to contain either his curiosity or his excitement over the new experience.

She smiled slightly at him and nodded. "Yes, that is it," she confirmed in a disenchanted voice.

"Very cool," was the teenager's verdict. As the helicopter circled the complex, all were treated to a long look at the impressive facility. It had clearly started as a single station that contained only a small tower and fuel tanks above the surface. Lucas thought he could make out buildings below the clear surface, but wasn't sure. Nets surrounded the entire area. Dimly he became aware of McAlester's voice explaining the station.

"This used to be a military refueling station for submarines long ago, but was left to rot after the wars ended. We 'rented' it from the UEO to use for our research. The nets surrounding the pens are made of titanium mesh. The surface level is the tower and there are three levels below the surface. First is living quarters," the helicopter began to settle onto the water's surface yet McAlester's voice continued on unabated, "second is the labs, third is the generators and sub. We have three sharks currently being tested." The blades began to slowly turn off. "I'll explain more outside." The three visitors nodded mutely, all climbing out of the sub.

A boat with cheering people drinking different types of alcohol was pulling away from the station. "Who are they?" Lucas pointed. His companions turned belatedly as their guide offered an explanation.

"They're the non-essential personal. Over the weekends and holidays, they're allowed to go home to see their families and friends." Bridger and Westphalen nodded again and walked down the catwalks towards the tower.

"What about you?" Lucas asked McAlester quietly so that the other two adults wouldn't hear. She looked surprised, but before she could answer, another man came up.

"She has me, lad. So she doesn't need to go to the mainland." Lucas grinned and McAlester glared good naturedly at the man.

"Mr. Wollenchezack, this is Carter Willis. He's basically our shark wrangler. Carter, this is Lucas Wollenchezack." She decided to introduce them now.

Carter's voice turned noticeably cooler. "Oh, you're one of those big-shots, aren't you? The ones that have come to decide whether or not to shut us down." Carter ignored McAlester's warning hiss and glare. He cocked his head to one side and studied the boy. "You're a little young for this, aren't you?" he asked even more coldly.

"I'm just an observer." He decided to follow Carter's aloofness and just leave it at that to avoid going into all the long explanations that he usually was forced to give.

Carter cocked his head but nodded at the teenager. The wrangler turned back towards McAlester. "I'm going down with the Tiger. She came in with a license plate stuck in her mouth and it needs to come out." Without waiting for an answer, he headed for the elevator located in the tower. McAlester just shook her head obviously used to this type of abrupt behavior.

Lucas watched as Carter pushed past Bridger and Westphalen who were walking back over to their guide and Lucas. Not even offering an apology, he stalked over to the tower and disappeared into the elevator. Bridger looked over to McAlester with a raised eyebrow, but she shook her head. Only once the captain reached her did she explain.

"Carter has always been like that. He has somewhat of a record but is very good at his work. I apologize for him." McAlester looked anything but sorry.

Kristen almost raised her eyebrows at the scientist's tone, but refrained. "That is quite all right, Dr. McAlester," Kristen reassured her falsely.

McAlester continued on as if the _seaQuest_ doctor hadn't interrupted. "It's just that none of the crew here appreciates the UEO sending out three of their representatives to see if we are going to have a job next week or not."

"Well that all depends on your own ability to perform, not totally on our opinions." Bridger cut in not at all surprised at their attitude. "Besides, we're not totally on the side of the UEO. I know how it is to have a project cut off. It is not a fun experience." He tried smiling at their dour hostess but to no avail. She remained as gloomy as ever.

Bridger suddenly caught Lucas staring at the water in rapt fascination. "What is it?" he inquired. Lucas just pointed; the captain turned in time to a sleek, striped body streak by under the water. Soon after a man, seemingly moving at a snail's pace compared to the underwater mammoth, moved by and tried to attract the shark's attention.

Lucas recognized the man's build to be Carter Willis. He had time for the random thought of //what the hell was he doing?// to seep into his mind before the tiger shark turned a charged the diver. Catching his breath, the teenager didn't totally bite back a cry and watched as one of his lesser fears was reenacted.

The shark charged Carter, but instead of being bitten in twain, the man twisted his body impossibly to grasp the shark's dorsal fin much like divers did with dolphins. Lucas forced his breath to slow as the wrangler reached forward to remove a piece of metal from the shark's mouth, then let go of the animal. As Carter swam towards the ladder, the teenager nearly fell as his knees almost gave out in relief but caught himself before it was noticeable.

He didn't want the Captain to know that he really didn't like being in the water with sharks; not since the accident with the 'pet' sharks in one of his father's friend's pools. But there was no way that he was going to be left behind when McGath suggested that he go due to the science involved. He was never one to pass down a new discovery. Besides, he wouldn't have to get in the water with the sharks anyway.

END