TITLE: To Change The World
AUTHOR: Tarlan
FANDOM: seaQuest
PAIRING: Ford/Krieg
DATE: 19th February 2000
E-MAIL ADDRESS: TarlanX@aol.com
STATUS: Complete
ARCHIVE: WWOMB - YES.
SERIES/SEQUEL: NO
SPOILER WARNING: Up to and including the 3rd season episode 'In Company of Ice and Profit'.
RATING: NC-17
WARNING: explicit m/m sex
NOTES: This story carries on from the end of the episode 'In Company of Ice and Profit' where we meet Lt. Benjamin Krieg's character again. It's all AU after here The backbone of this story has been lounging on my h/d for years but I've dusted it off and filled in the gaps. Many thanks go to Allison for all the encouragement, advice and beta reading.
DISCLAIMER: SeaQuest DSV belongs to somebody else (Steven Spielberg among others). No copyright infringement intended. Any characters you haven't heard of before, are copyrighted to me.
SUMMARY: When their paths cross again Ford realises Krieg was one fish he should never have let slip away.
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To Change The World
by Tarlan
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The sound of laughter pealed from the nearby table but had no affect on the despondent man sitting opposite. Lucas Wolenczak sighed inwardly. What had happened to the 'glass half-full', 'always look on the bright side' attitude of the crew's self- appointed Morale Officer?
Lt. Benjamin Krieg gazed miserably into the bottom of his empty glass feeling a strange empathy with it. He had never been a maudlin drunk in the past but then he'd never been smitten by unrequited love before. Krieg looked up and attempted to focus on the young face before him.
"Why did I have to fall for him?"
"Does he know?"
A sigh and a slight nod of the head were the only response. Lucas had been away on one of those computer seminars so he had missed all the events of the past few days. He frowned as Krieg mumbled a few more words.
"Why d'you think he wants me off seaQuest?"
The silence stretched while Krieg slumped even further, both physically and mentally. Lucas found his whole being crying out in sympathy, wishing they were not in a crowded bar so he could give into a strong desire to hug the other until the pain went away. His eyes narrowed in concern when Ben hailed the waiter for another drink, but there was little point trying to stop him. Besides, Ben needed this. He needed to get drunk and talk to someone... a friend... and they *were* friends. Benjamin Krieg had been his friend from the first day he had set foot onboard the seaQuest. He'd seen beyond the gawky teenager with a compassion that many overlooked as they focussed only on the mischievous machinations and sleaziness that Krieg often exuded.
Lucas found his lips tightening into a firm line of disgust. He wondered how many people found small gifts awaiting them, coinciding with one of Ben's more successful, albeit sleazy, ventures. Often he had returned to his small cabin in Mammal Engineering to find a new vid or game disk lying on his bed - usually the kind Bridger might frown upon *but*...
He sighed and laid his hand on Ben's arm. Yes. There was much more to Ben Krieg than met the eye and unlike with many of the crew, Lucas had never needed to prove himself to Ben before gaining acceptance... and it was this acceptance that had made him consider Ben more than just a friend; he was an older brother and, right now, that brother was suffering.
Krieg looked up as more laughter rose sharply from the inebriated group in the corner nearest the door, the sound penetrating through the drunken haze. A few days ago he would have been in the middle of that crowd, covering up the desire he felt for another man by trading stories and jokes about the scantily dressed females sunbathing on the fine-grained sandy beaches. Now he was the butt of those anecdotes and jokes.
The sudden drop in the level of conversation had him glancing towards the door. His breath caught in his throat as a figure stepped into view, his heart sinking further as smirks and stage- whispered remarks added to the thunder already visible on the newcomer's handsome face. Lucas turned to watch the athletic form move towards them and rose to greet the other.
"Commander, we were..."
"Lt. Krieg, you were supposed to file those inventory reports by 20:00. Where are they?"
"There was a problem..."
"Stand up when you talk to me, Lt. I am your superior officer and I demand some respect..."
Lucas grabbed at Krieg's arm as the Lieutenant pushed himself to his feet unsteadily but he was not able to prevent the angry retort.
"Respect is earned not..."
"Insubordination, Lieutenant?" Commander Ford glanced around the suddenly silent bar. "Hutchins, Di Salvo. Escort Lt. Krieg to the brig."
Young, blue eyes, wide with disbelief turned upon the cold features of the seaQuest's executive officer.
"Commander. Wait! You can't..."
"Stay out of this, Lucas. It doesn't concern you."
Lucas glared at the Commander, started to form a new response but fell silent when he felt a warm hand on his arm. He turned back to his friend, swallowing hard at the unspoken message and stepped back as the two unfortunate crew members came alongside the Lieutenant. Krieg was right. Any attempt to interfere would only make matters worse. They all needed a little time to cool off, but Lucas could not help feeling a tide of anger and frustration rise.
********************
Lucas smiled as he gazed across at the man who had become a surrogate father. It had taken Bridger the best part of an hour to calm down his youngest crew member and to convince him that there was nothing to be done until the morning. Better to leave Krieg in the brig to sober up.
"So what are we gonna do about them?"
Bridger sighed deeply.
"I don't know, Lucas. They're grown men. They have to find their own paths."
Lucas cradled his chin in the palm of his hand and stared at his Captain with pleading, baby blue eyes. He smiled as Bridger relented, unable to deny his young ward anything.
"I'll see what I can do but I can't make any promises, Lucas."
"There must be something..."
"I'll try to get Jonathan to drop the charges of insubordination at least, okay."
A grateful smile crossed the young man's face and Bridger sighed as Lucas left his cabin with an optimistic bounce in his step.
As the hatch closed behind the youth his thoughts returned to Ford and Krieg. They had never really seemed to mesh but, what was that old saying, 'opposites attract' and you couldn't get more opposite than these two. Or so it seemed at first sight. He shook his head, still angry at the inappropriate comment uttered by his Communications Chief that had led to this current debacle. He was certain Tim O'Neill had meant nothing malicious, seriously believing he was smoothing the path of true love when he told a small group, including Miguel Ortiz, how Ben felt about the Commander. Unfortunately Ortiz told someone else... who told someone else... who chose to confront Krieg... who didn't deny it and word had spread like wildfire through the seaQuest grapevine until it reached the Commander.
Ford's reaction was exactly as expected under the circumstances. At least, it was expected if you *knew* the man and his history. The snide comments from the more homophobic on the crew; the giggling from the female crew members; the practical jokes. Both men had become the butt of those jokes but Ford had taken it all so personally. If their relationship had seemed strained before, now it was close to breaking point as Ben disguised his feelings by becoming more insubordinate and Ford by becoming even more stiff and formal. Eventually something had to give but Bridger had held a secret hope that it would be Ford who came to his senses and accepted what everyone close to them could see... that the animosity he felt towards Krieg was just denial of his true feelings.
He yawned and made his way across the cabin to the refresher unit. There was nothing more he could do tonight and tomorrow was going to be a minefield for human relations. He mumbled softly to himself as he opened the door.
"I'd best take my own advice and get some sleep."
********************
The Next Morning
Captain's Day Cabin
Bridger stared at the stone-faced officer standing ramrod straight in front of him. Earlier he had decided to pay Krieg a visit in the brig to get his side of the story only to find the place empty.
"Commander Ford, where is Lt. Krieg?"
"I had him transported back to Pearl Harbor awaiting formal charges."
"Don't you think you should have consulted with me first?"
"My position as Executive Officer onboard seaQuest gives me the authority to..."
"Just bring him back."
Ford straightened with military precision. "Yes. Sir."
********************
The Previous Evening:
Krieg moaned, his head throbbing in time with the thrum of the engine. He had expected to be sent to the brig for the remainder of the night but Ford had decided to take advantage of a military transport leaving for Pearl Harbor. He had been airborne within the hour and less than two hours later his safety belt was being checked in preparation for landing. Within another hour he would be ensconced in the security wing of the UEO headquarters.
The landing was probably quite smooth but every little bump seemed to magnify itself tenfold. Eventually he was led into the cell block and directed into a small room.
He sank down onto the firm mattress as the cell door closed behind him, pushing shaking hands through dark, sweat-matted hair and sobbed once before pulling himself back together. He listened to the sounds of other voices muffled through the cell wall and to the hollow, echoing noise of doors slamming in long, bare corridors... feeling utterly alone for the first time in his life. Krieg lay down on his side drawing his knees up close. His life seemed to be going from bad to worse.
Eventually, he slept.
The sound of the door opening pulled him out of a dreamless sleep and he swung his legs over the side of the bed as a stool was drawn up close. Krieg gazed at the familiar face trying remember where he had seen this old man before. The man smiled.
"Yes, you know me. Or at least, you know of me."
Krieg's eyes narrowed in suspicion. The man smiled, a hint of sarcasm lifting his voice momentarily.
"Yes, I'm quite well, thank you. Your position, however, is not so healthy but I can remedy that. I have a proposition for you."
********************
"What d'you mean, you can't find him?"
Jonathan Ford shook his head in bewilderment. He had personally escorted Krieg to the plane. There was a record of the plane landing at Pearl Harbor but none of Krieg being placed into detention in the Security block. Ford turned to face his commanding officer, not truly understanding the fear that twisted his stomach.
Nathan Bridger leaned forward. "Get me Noyce."
The Admiral's features filled the viewscreen and Bridger quickly brushed aside all the pleasantries to get to the point. The one- sided conversation ended when Noyce agreed to look into it and get back to them.
Bridger glanced around him at the rest of his bridge crew. They seemed silent but he could see the odd movements that indicated private conversations through the headsets. Beside him, Jonathan Ford seemed buried in thought, teeth worriedly chewing on his bottom lip, his dark eyes focussed inwards as he battled his own demons. Lucas appeared and slumped into the seat of an empty console, glancing back once. The wait seemed interminable.
"I have Admiral Noyce."
"Put him on." All heads raised, eyes trained to the viewscreen. "Bill! I hope you have some good news for me."
"That depends, Nathan. Your man seems to have agreed to a transfer to one of the science projects..."
Bridger frowned. He was fully aware that Krieg's tour of duty on seaQuest had come to an end but the Procurement Officer had indicated a wish to take up a second tour. He grimaced, deepening the lines on his salt and wind-burnt face.
"Do I assume I have no say in this?"
Bill Noyce had the courtesy to look chagrined.
"Your man's made his decision, Nathan... for whatever reason... and he's already shipped out. I've a request for someone to package up his personal belongings and send them on to UEO Headquarters where they will be forwarded to him at his new post."
Bridger nodded his head reluctantly. From his peripheral vision he could see the shock on several faces but along with that shock came a begrudging acceptance of the facts. He sighed. The fallout from this was going to be heavy. Guilt from some crew members, anger from others and judging by the looks Lucas was throwing at Ford, some of that anger had already found a target.
********************
A Year later... (Eleven Years Earth Time):
The iceberg had been destroyed; the refugees, all except Krieg, accepted into the Nexus Colony as a favour to Captain Hudson and now seaQuest was preparing to head back to UEO Headquarters at San Francisco.
From where he was standing Jonathan Ford had a good view of the Moonpool. He paused, teeth gnawing at his lower lip as he considered his next action. Ahead of him he could see two figures dressed in UEO jumpsuits; one fair-headed, the other dark. They were talking to each other and to Darwin, sharing the lost past. It was a familiar sight and Ford could almost believe Krieg was camping out here; it seemed as if he had spent most of his time onboard seaQuest sitting by this pool... but it had taken Ford until now to gather up the courage to approach the other man.
It was hard to believe that almost eleven years had passed for Benjamin Krieg. He looked the same as Ford remembered, the dark wavy hair, the penetrating deep blue eyes and the lithe frame. The only changes seemed to be in attitude. There was a melancholy air about this Krieg as if time had weighed heavily upon his soul. He had the look of someone who had seen too much; done too much... or not enough.
To Jonathan Ford, only a year had passed since that fateful night when Benjamin Krieg had disappeared. He could still recall, vividly, the shocked, confused and anxious looks on the faces of those around him. Katie had held him to blame; her anger and her bitterness putting an end to their friendship. Until then her decision to accept the offered captaincy had been wavering but her anger was the push she needed to choose a new path. He had looked her up when they returned from Hyperion. The anger had gone but the sadness remained. Despite everything she had still loved Ben. As to Lucas... it took a while before the youth came round. He had to rebuild that relationship almost from scratch. The arrival of replacement crew; Lonnie Henderson, Tony Piccolo, Dagwood and James Brody had helped but Ford knew he would might never regain the level of trust he had lost that day.
The Commander waited until a silence descended between Lucas Wolenczak and Benjamin Krieg before he took a step forward. Krieg was trailing his fingers through the water, deep in thought but he froze on hearing footsteps behind him.
They stared at each other while Lucas found his gaze flicking between the two men.
"Hello, Ben."
"Commander."
Ford licked suddenly dry lips. Not too good a start if Krieg was using titles instead of his name. He glanced across at Lucas; saw the younger man rise.
"I think you need to speak privately. I'll catch you later, Ben."
Krieg barely acknowledged the Ensign's retreat, his attention focussed on the man in front of him. The silence grew heavy and Ford found himself fidgeting. The blue eyes narrowed speculatively as he noticed all the indications of embarrassment; his empathy standing him in good stead for once. He decided to open the conversation; a small smile lifting the corners of his mouth at the obvious relief on Ford's face.
"It's been a long time... for some of us."
"Yes. You haven't changed a bit. How've you been keeping?"
Krieg gave a small half-smile. "Surviving."
"Hmmm." Feeling very self-conscious beneath that penetrating stare, Ford eased himself to the deck. Krieg grimaced at the way Ford kept a three foot gap between them. "Have you any plans?"
"If you're worried I might ask for reassignment onboard seaQuest then don't. I've no intention of returning."
Ford couldn't help the second bout of momentary relief that flooded his system. Even now, with a year of absence between them, he felt the strange unease that tugged at his heart and mind whenever he saw Benjamin Krieg. Guilt followed as a knowing smile crossed the Lieutenant's face and he felt compelled to ask.
"Why not?"
"Because the reason I left is still valid."
Dark eyes widened in surprise at this revelation. Was Krieg saying he still loved him? Even after all the years that had passed here on Earth? He opened his mouth to say something... anything... but was forestalled.
"I've gotta get ready... I promised to go for a swim with Darwin."
"Oh... sure. By the way, once we get under way we should reach San Francisco in two days."
A nod of the head was the only response and Ford quickly stood up and hurried out of the bay, deliberately turning his thoughts back to the demands of duty as he made a mental sift through the shore leave requests. Nexus was a young but thriving colony that had seen the benefits of including a port and entertainment for weary seafarers. He dare not dwell on those blue eyes and on that declaration.
Benjamin Krieg stared after him and then sighed. He turned back to the silent witness of their stilted conversation.
"Time for our swim."
Krieg moved to one of the changing cubicles and swiftly removed his clothing. He pulled on a wetsuit, tank and breathing mask and moved quickly to the Moonpool. Wasting no time, he slid into the cold water then dove beneath the surface to follow Darwin through the tubes to the outside hatch. Moments later he was in the open sea.
He allowed Darwin to pull him a short distance from the boat and then sank behind a rocky outcrop. Tank, mask and, finally, after some difficulty, the wetsuit dropped to the sandy bottom.
******************** Several Hours Later
The mess hall was empty for a change when the Commander sat down with a mug of coffee. He watched as Lonnie Henderson wandered in; returned her smile and then eyed her lithe figure thoughtfully. Not so long ago he had been mesmerised by her, his body aching whenever he saw her but now... What had changed? She still gave him that special 'come-hither' smile, still flirted with him surreptitiously and yet something *had* changed.
She turned away from him to select her meal and Ford found himself concentrating on her well-defined shape... broad shoulders tapering to a narrow waist, muscles rippling under the surface with each movement... the dark curls falling across...
He brought himself up with a start, realising he was staring into empty space... and worse still, that he was visualising a male's body rather than her all too feminine form. The space ahead of him was filled, suddenly, with her presence.
"Mind if I join you?"
"No-no. Sure. Go ahead."
He watched her slide into the seat opposite, staring at her eyes in confusion as he tried to figure out what was wrong with them.
"Are you wearing coloured contacts?"
"No."
"I could have sworn your eyes were this particular shade of blue..." //Like Ben's eyes// His own widened in horror at the thought that nearly made its way past his lips and he leapt to his feet.
"I-I'm sorry. I've just remembered something important..."
Lonnie Henderson stared at him in bemusement as he rushed towards the door.
When he stopped to think about where he was going, Ford looked around and discovered he was standing outside the door to the Moonpool. He cautiously entered, looked around and was strangely disappointed to find the place empty. He was about to leave when Darwin surfaced, closely followed by a diver... Ben Krieg. Ford stared at his watch. It had been over two hours since Krieg went for that swim... and the tank he had chosen usually only carried about 40 minutes of oxygen.
//No... he must have come back and gone out again.//
Krieg eyed Ford curiously from the water, taking a long time to make the decision to get out. Eventually he wandered past the Commander, face averted for the most part, and entered the cubicle. His partially muffled voice was accompanied by sounds of the wetsuit being removed.
"So what brings you back here, Commander?"
It took a while before Ford answered, his mind refusing to budge past the image of the very male body with tight neoprene clinging seductively to every curve and bulge; water slicking the dark hair, running in rivulets down the face, dripping off the long eyelashes that surrounded those deep blue eyes that had turned to his momentarily. He had never been so consciously aware of another male body until this moment but realised in a flash that this desire was not new to him. He had felt it before; quashed it before it made itself all too obvious.
His father's words flowed back to him; spoken in accusation when first told of his desire to join the UEO instead of taking a place by his father's side.
'Only faggots go to sea... Are you a faggot, Jonathan?'
At the time he had been affronted. This was the kind of misconception spread by pacifists for centuries as a way of spreading anti-military propaganda but it had a greater sting to Jonathan Ford. His father had alluded to his 'dubious' sexuality for most of his life... wondering why, unlike his brother, he was more interested in study than in girls. So was he? Was he the kind of man that his bigoted father ridiculed? Had he spent most of his life hiding the truth from himself to avoid a confrontation with his father? Was the anger he felt towards Benjamin Krieg just a backlash against his own subconscious desire for the other man?
Ford closed his eyes. When he opened them he found Benjamin Krieg standing in front of him.
"I... thought I'd check on you. You were gone a long time."
"I see."
"Well. I can see you're okay so I'll... see you around."
"Sure."
Ford turned and retreated back to the safety of the corridor leaving a confused, and yet bemused Krieg behind.
********************
Krieg rolled his shoulders to ease the tension. He had not slept well. He snorted silently at his own stupidity. It had been eleven years...*eleven years* for chrissakes. He thought he had buried all those feelings for Jonathan Ford many years ago and yet the very first sight of the man had brought everything flooding back. What had he said to Lucas? 'The past had become the present and now it was all a nightmare.' Living on seaQuest these past few days had *been* a nightmare. Everywhere he turned there were reminders of those early days; the mess hall, the bridge, his old cabin... and not just places, there were the familiar faces that time had left unchanged - and then there was Ford, himself.
He sat at the edge of the Moonpool and gazed into the water, his mind flitting back to the previous day when the Commander had stood before him all flustered and confused. He had felt the dark eyes raking across his body; drinking in the sight of him like a man who had crossed a desert without water. But what did it mean? That look held such promise but he had been burned once; he was certain he wouldn't survive a second blast from that furnace.
"Damn the man!"
Pushing all thoughts of Jonathan Ford aside, Krieg quickly changed into the scuba gear. As he entered the water he felt himself begin to relax. The nudge of Darwin's beak against his leg brought his attention back to the present.
"Hi, fishface. Time for our daily swim."
Moments later he submerged and was heading through the tubes to the outside. A short swim brought him back to the rocky outcrop where he began to remove all the constraining scuba gear.
********************
Ford had spent the whole of the previous evening deep in thought; had sat up until the early hours pulling himself apart piece by piece until he knew the whole truth and what he found brought its own pain. He had been a fool; had thrown away a possibility for happiness because of the prejudices of his father.
When the Commander finally fell asleep his dreams were invaded by a pair of dark blue eyes filled with regret and despair; his last memory of Krieg from over a year ago when he had the man arrested for insubordination. That action had been the final straw; had driven Krieg away and, fool that he was, it had taken until now for him to realise what he had lost.
When he awoke his eyes felt gritty from the lack of decent sleep but his head felt clearer than it had in years. Sometime during his self-assessment he had reached the truth. He knew what he had to do and cursed the fact that so little time remained. Tomorrow seaQuest would set out for San Francisco and then Krieg would be gone... possibly forever. He had only a couple of days to mend the bridges he had burned between them.
With new resolve, Ford requested a day's leave. He was expecting to be grilled by Hudson over the request since most of the crew was absent, having been granted leave while at Nexus but, once more, the new Captain of seaQuest surprised him. He made his way to the Moonpool on C deck and barely avoided an audible expletive when he saw the familiar figure swim past with Darwin, heading out to sea but decided he wouldn't wait for Krieg's return. Racing into the chamber, Ford quickly divested himself of his clothes and pulled on one of the wetsuits hanging on the wall. He pulled the heavy tank onto his back after checking all was okay, fitted the mask and then lowered himself into the pool. Another quick check, a spit to clean the mask and he was kicking out barely five minutes behind the Lieutenant and dolphin.
A call to the bridge had told him the direction Darwin had taken on leaving seaQuest and Ford took the chance that Krieg had stayed with him. He kicked out towards the rocky outcrop coming slowly around it and stopped, nearly losing his mouthpiece in shock.
********************
It was Darwin that alerted him to the new arrival. Krieg turned suddenly, nictitating membrane flickering over eyes that widened in the horror of discovery.
A hand reached out towards him until the palm lay flat against his chest, it moved slowly to the side, gliding over the rippling gills on one side of Krieg's torso as the fingers explored soft skin that shimmered with an ethereal quality in the crystal clear blue water.
Krieg watched the eyes drop as they swept down his body; a motion of renewed shock following when Ford reached his groin... or lack thereof. Those dark eyes came racing back to his face. Krieg smiled grimly, understanding the horror written across the handsome face. How was he to explain this apparent mutilation? He bit into his lower lip, almost drawing blood, cursing anew his decision to allow Abalon a freehand to make those final set of changes to his body. At the time it had seemed so unimportant; he had lost the only person he had ever truly loved; had lost the only person he desired. He sneered at himself. How could you lose something that was never yours in the first place? Now as he watched those eyes capture his own a single thought went through his head.
//Don't pity me, Jonathan. Please don't pity me.//
He had never expected to see Jonathan Ford again; had certainly never expected to find himself naked before this man. He knew he could stand anything *but* pity from the Commander. He held his breath as the dark eyes softened, the gills ceasing to ripple momentarily. Krieg frowned. Regret? Was it possible that what he saw in Jonathan Ford's face was regret? But regret for what? Regret for Benjamin Krieg, that he had allowed himself to be mutated to the point where he had become a new species in his own right? Or...?
Krieg let out the breath he was holding, the bubbles shimmying their way up towards the surface. Dare he believe what his eyes were telling him? Dare he believe that the Commander's regret might be for Ford's own loss? He was half-expecting the Commander to turn away from him in resignation but saw a new expression settle on the face; realisation that he wanted Krieg regardless of his mutation.
Hope flared within the Lieutenant for the first time in over eleven years and with it came renewed fear. What if he were wrong? This man had not only broken his heart once before, he had ripped it out and trampled on it leaving a mere shell of a man behind. It had taken a long time to rebuild his self-esteem. Could he afford to allow this man another chance to hurt him?
Those eyes were still holding his, as if awaiting his decision. Suddenly, Krieg realised he *had* to take the chance. He reached out and caught Ford's hand; brought it downwards, angling the fingers.
Ford nearly lost his mouthpiece again as he watched his fingers slide between the lips of the almost invisible pouch before they were released; confusion turned to shock as he recognised the hard object encountered by his questing fingers. He pulled back as if burned and saw a sadness cross Krieg's face.
Benjamin Krieg turned away from the man who had rejected him for the second time; trying to harden his heart from the pain that was threatening to destroy him. He thought he had read something in the man's face; thought the Commander had finally realised and accepted the truth. A strong grip on his forearm halted his attempt to flee. He found himself spiraling in the cold, clear water until he faced the Commander once more. Ford's other hand reached up to cup his face, the thumb brushing across his full lips.
Krieg waited, frozen in place by this man and his actions; afraid of being hurt again and yet still willing to take yet another chance.
Ford stared at him for a moment and then, visibly, reached a decision. He pulled out the mouthpiece and pressed his lips against Krieg's. His hand released its tight hold on Krieg's chin and trailed back down the torso to the hidden pouch, delving inside and wrapping fingers around the firm erection. With sure strokes he pumped the aching flesh, pulling back from the kiss- swollen mouth to focus his attention of the rigid shaft that swelled beyond the pouch lips. He held on tight to the other man as Krieg began to buck against the incredible sensations leaping through his entire being.
With an exhale of bubbles Krieg came; a cloud of semen pumping into the ocean before being dissipated by the gentle current. Krieg collapsed against his lover, floating in the water, his mouth seeking the cool lips. He felt Ford begin to struggle; realised the problem and gently blew life-preserving air into his oxygen-starved mate through their tightly clamped mouths.
Ford relaxed against Krieg as oxygen filled his lungs. The pressure alternating between kiss of life and kiss of love until, finally, he pulled away. His hand reached out again to caress the beautiful features before he twisted around to locate and replace the mouthpiece. The oxygen from the tank tasted stale compared to the fresh richness of Krieg's breath but they couldn't remain locked together here forever no matter how wonderful it felt.
As they pulled apart a grey shape nuzzled between them. Embarrassment crept over both men as they remembered their forgotten audience of one. Krieg reached out and stroked the sleek head, hoping to reassure the dolphin that all was well. He looked back up as a hand caressed his own cheek.
Ford gave the signal to return to seaQuest but halted Krieg's attempt to pull on the wetsuit, tank and mask. He stroked Krieg's face once more in reassurance before giving the 'okay' sign.
Together they swam back to seaQuest; the curious dolphin circling them all the way.
********************
"Captain! You're not gonna believe this but..."
Hudson, Piccolo and Lucas raced from the Bridge towards C deck. They arrived in time to see Commander Ford reach the edge of the Moonpool and pull out the mouthpiece. Lucas bent down and pulled the spare neoprene suit from his hands, casting it aside on the deck alongside Ford's face mask as a shadowy figure handed up the even heavier oxygen tank and mask.
Ford grimaced, mentally wishing away the hard-on that was trapped uncomfortably within his wetsuit. Stupidly, he'd not expected a welcome committee. His intention had been to carry-on with the lovemaking on the surface where he could divest himself of the tight synthetic rubber and not have to worry about the possibility of drowning... except in the eyes of his new lover. It was impossible to adjust himself within the neoprene so he could only hope no-one noticed his sizeable erection. A thought crossed his mind that this was some superior being's version of divine justice... after all, Krieg had waited eleven years for this to happen.
After manhandling the tank they waited patiently but the creature with Ford made no attempt to leave the water. Eventually, Piccolo offered to go in. After Hudson's nod of agreement he stripped and lowered himself into the water. Once submerged he looked around and found his quarry. His eyes swept across the figure in front of him, recognising the genetic alterations such as gills but completely in awe of the rest. Krieg had been altered far beyond the known limit. Tony Piccolo could make out the nictitating membrane covering the eye to protect it from the salty water; the shimmer of scales that had raised like goosebumps to prevent the skin from becoming waterlogged... and to help retain body heat. Another angle displayed the raised dorsal along the spine and the webbing that interlocked to hold the legs together, forming a crude tail. Piccolo wondered what triggered all these changes as they had not been apparent on the land version of Benjamin Krieg.
He placed himself in front of the agitated man and gave a reassuring sign, hoping the presence of another altered human might be enough to give weight to that reassurance. He drew Krieg's attention to the surface where Ford was beckoning to him. Piccolo moved back to the edge and pulled himself out of the water using his powerful biceps. He turned back and watched as the sea creature; the merman that was Benjamin Krieg, put on a burst of speed around the pool and then headed straight for the deck. A blur of motion and a cascade of water accompanied the body that leapt from the water to land solidly on the deck before Hudson.
Krieg flicked his wet hair back from his forehead with a webbed hand; gave Hudson a small smile and then, hesitatingly, turned back to his lover. He smiled in relief as Ford moved forward and pulled him into a strong embrace, uncaring of those present as his soft lips sought and captured Krieg's.
Hudson watched; one eyebrow raised in bemusement.
"Gentlemen; if you are quite finished then some explanation is in order. Report to my quarters in fifteen minutes."
********************
When they arrived, Lucas was waiting outside and with a non- verbal request Krieg asked permission for the youth to join them. Ford nodded his agreement; a small smile lifting the corners of his generous mouth.
For Benjamin Krieg it was a relief to have his mutation out in the open and see no abhorrence, only acceptance in the faces around him. Hudson asked the bare minimum of questions, mostly relating to his mutation. He watched the man nod knowingly when he explained that he couldn't go more than 40 hours without submerging. After that time his skin started to crack painfully from the lack of moisture. At a push he could last 50 hours... and had done so during the recent flight from the Macronesian forces. The heavy winter gear had hidden most of his damaged skin and most people had assumed what they *could* see was down to the ice cold wind and near-frostbite. If anyone had noticed how quickly he had recovered since coming onboard seaQuest they had not bothered to mention it.
Other questions were fielded as best he could. He didn't truly understand what triggered some of the changes. Assumed it was the pressure of the water as taking a shower had never caused the small dorsal to rise. Stoically, he bore a visual inspection as Lucas and Hudson examined the fine webbing on his legs that was almost invisible when on dry land but he drew the line at showing them the other, more personal, genetic changes such as the pouch that protected his genitals, keeping them safe and comfortable when underwater.
Eventually, Hudson had put a halt to the questions and Krieg wondered whether the man's decision to keep Lucas back was more for their benefit than his own.
Krieg and Ford walked down the corridors of seaQuest together... and yet apart; the time spent with Hudson having dampened the heady desire and Krieg wondered whether Jonathan was having regrets or second thoughts. Eventually, they paused outside the cabin allotted to Krieg for the trip back to San Francisco; an awkward silence falling between them.
"Well, I suppose..."
"My quarters are more comfortable than the Guest ones. That is, if you'd like to..."
Krieg smiled, his fingers reaching up to smooth away the anxiety on the Commander's face. He whispered softly so only Ford could hear.
"Yes... I'd like to."
Once the cabin door had closed behind them, all awkwardness disappeared. Hands reached out to caress; lips met to seal their newfound relationship with a kiss. Krieg moaned against the soft, full lips; tasting and teasing the other man as their tongues collided and twisted seductively. Clothes were removed gradually, hands trailing across exposed flesh until they were lying naked together, legs entwined.
With a mischievous grin, Krieg pushed away and sat up. He gazed openly at the body lying beside him, memorising the planes and contours of a well-defined body; watching the play of muscles as Ford moved his arms to cup his hands behind his head.
Ford grinned. He had missed seeing those eyes dance; had missed the almost sleazy, knowing grin and the soft laughter that had always seemed to follow Benjamin Krieg during his time as Procurement Officer onboard seaQuest. His body reacted to the heated stare.
"Like what you see?"
Krieg's gaze flitted back up, amazed to see those dark eyes almost black with desire, momentarily mesmerised by his own reflection in the dilated pupil.
"I can't help wondering why you're so at ease with this now when... I mean..."
Ford had the grace to look chagrined. He had spent most of the previous night putting his thoughts and emotions in order and he was not a man to prevaricate once a decision was made but there was far more to it than that. How could he explain that being with Ben seemed the most natural thing in the world to him now? That kissing him, touching him felt so right... and that, in comparison, everything that had come before seemed a sham. Krieg continued when Jonathan gave no verbal response.
"It all seems too good to be true. I feel like I'm gonna wake up and find I'm still on that block of ice floating in the middle of nowhere."
Ford reached out and clasped one hand.
"You're not dreaming. This *is* real... but I have to admit I'm not sure where we go from here."
"Physically, emotionally or sexually?"
"All three... but definitely sexually... I've not had much experience with men, just a brief encounter with a merman..."
A bright smile dispersed the pensive expression.
"Then let me show you... although I have to admit it's been a long time since I had *any* 'experience with men'."
Ford sat up abruptly when, instead of reciprocating his caresses, Krieg left the bed and wandered into the small bathroom. The Lieutenant returned moments later with a jar of skin soother, unscrewed the lid and placed both parts on the bedside locker. The puzzlement on Ford's face turned to embarrassment when he realised Krieg's intent.
"I'm not sure I'm ready..."
"Sshhh. It's not for you."
Krieg moved back onto the bed, straddling his new lover. He smiled that same impish grin before lowering his head to nip at one soft nipple.
Ford wriggled and moaned as a bolt of electricity raced down his body bringing his waning erection slowly back to life. Krieg began to worry the nub alternating between nips from sharp teeth and licks from the velvet tongue; a heady mixture of pleasure and pain that had Ford's hands gripping the bed sheet to stop himself from grabbing Krieg's hair. He moaned in disappointment as Ben gave one final flick of his tongue over the peaked nipple and then sighed as soft kisses paved a sensuous path down his rib cage, over the soft belly and down to the now straining erection. His nerve endings screamed when a hot mouth descended; the versatile tongue stroking across the sensitive head. Ford cried out once more when Krieg released him. He watched with morbid fascination as Ben scooped out some of the lubricant from the jar and started to finger fuck himself; his erection growing harder as the lithe body writhed above him in self-inflicted ecstasy; his mind almost a gibbering wreck as he wondered if he had ever seen anything or anyone more beautiful than the man straddled above him with head thrown back in passionate abandon.
Blue eyes dilated to black gazed back down at him as Krieg positioned himself above his lover. With a gentle grip he held the rigid shaft, gradually lowering himself until it was buried to the hilt within him.
Ford gasped at the heat and tightness around his swollen cock. As Krieg began to pull off, the friction became almost unbearable in its intensity. He sobbed when he felt himself almost leave the tight channel and then cried out as he was sheathed once more in that restrictive heat. The sight of his shaft disappearing inside the beautiful body was the final trigger. With a growl of desire he toppled Krieg over until he was on top and then thrust hard into the willing body. He came, hard and furious, moaning Ben's name over and over and then collapsed across the sweating body, his limbs heavy and trembling from the strength of his orgasm.
After a moment his gasps faded and he found himself held in a strong embrace with soft lips nuzzling his face and hair. Ford pulled away, feeling suddenly guilty for his loss of control. He'd always considered himself a considerate lover and yet... He gazed down in apology but found a satiated expression on the relaxed face. A warm stickiness between their close-pressed abdomens brought a smile of contentment to his lips.
Hours, and a shower, later Krieg relaxed with his head pillowed upon the broad, hairless chest, his fingers drawing circles upon the light coffee-coloured skin. He could feel the movement of air inflating lungs; could hear the steady thump of the heart beating beneath his ear. He luxuriated in the cheek that rubbed against his hair.
"Will you tell me the rest now?"
Krieg pulled his head up until he could see the dark inquiring eyes. He sighed and laid his head back down. Krieg began, haltingly, returning to that day when, at his lowest ebb, he had been recruited by Abalon.
As the story unfolded, Ford grew tighter-lipped, blaming himself for all the suffering Krieg had gone through these past eleven years.
As Krieg recalled the events of those years he rubbed his cheek against the silky skin; taking comfort in the warm, solid presence of the man he had fallen in love with a lifetime ago.
********************
The Past:
Three days had passed before the first of the changes had been made but, after then there had been no turning back. SeaQuest had gone on without him... *life* had gone on without him and he didn't care anymore. Experiment after experiment had followed over the following year. He watched as some buckled under the pressure, the new changes too great for their mutated bodies to cope with but he had persevered; had been the greatest of Abalon's experiments.
It had all come to an end with the loss of seaQuest and the rising to power of Macronesia. The new Australia had swept outwards across the South Pacific; overrunning the small atoll where Abalon carried out his work. What Krieg didn't mention was how little he had cared at the time. The loss of seaQuest meant the loss of his friends; of Lucas... of Jonathan Ford.
When the Macronesian forces entered the base several of the other 'mer-people' had dragged him out with them. He didn't bother to struggle against them but he didn't make it easy for them either. He cared little over who would be controlling the experiments from this point on. As it was they had barely managed to escape, learning only later the fate of those who had remained behind.
********************
Krieg grimaced. One day he would tell Jonathan their fate but not today.
The rest of the story was painful on a different level. He had tried to convince the UEO to help the others; had watched as Macronesia grew ever stronger, swallowing or destroying whole countries, ruining the economy of others. Many of the people in the overrun territories were driven from their homes; turned into starving refugees and yet still the UEO had prevaricated. He had spent time in Washington DC, trying to rally support against the Macronesian build-up on the principle that you could not 'eat Peace', even putting himself forward for the presidential elections in the hope of being heard.
Eventually he had given up as McGrath began yet another turn of office using a similar, powerless speech about making pointless treaties with Macronesia. He had decided, if he could not help the threatened people within the UEO then he would do his best to help them on their home ground.
Krieg wondered if he would ever be able to explain the rage that had filled him as he saw the Macronesian laser strike the back of that helpless, fleeing woman; watching the child spill from her arms as she fell dead upon the wet sand.
He sighed as a warm hand stroked along his flank. This was just another example of his poor luck. After eleven years he had finally been given what he wanted but he knew he couldn't stay. He recalled his words to Lucas.
'You want to save the world. I want to change it.'
It was the truth then... and it was still the truth. They *were* on different sides now. He had given up on the UEO. It was no longer the driving force for peace, being concerned only with its own internal problems; too afraid to retaliate against the aggressors that circled around it, nibbling away at what remained of the free world.
Krieg sat up, shivering at the loss of contact with that warm body. He felt Ford shift behind him and placed his hand over the one that came to rest on his shoulder.
"It's too late, you know."
"It's never too late."
"I can't stay on seaQuest..."
"Why not? I'm sure Hudson would be more than..."
"It's not Hudson. It's me. I can't help those people from seaQuest. The UEO is no longer the world power..."
"You told Lucas he was out to save the world while you only want to change it."
"You overheard."
"No. Lucas told me... but the point is, to save the world we *have* to change it and that's what this boat is all about. Stay here... with me."
"You make it sound so easy."
"It is. Give it a try... give *us* a try."
Krieg looked into his lover's face, seeing the earnest look in the beautiful dark eyes and relented. He would stay... for a while, see if there was room from him onboard this boat.
"I hope Seaman Piccolo doesn't mind the competition."
Perfect white teeth glowed from the relaxed face as Ford realised he had won this particular round. He sighed as he thought of the past and of their possible future.
His previous actions had not only driven this man away, they had nearly destroyed him. Ford could only imagine the depth of self- loathing Krieg must have felt at being rejected so brutally. Why else would he have allowed someone to mutilate his body to such a degree? After all, Ben had never seemed the pioneering type before and Krieg had already admitted that he had not been coerced.
He pulled Ben back down, cradling the man in his arms as he planted soft kisses along the strong jaw line. By rights, Ben should have hated him, but instead the man had the courage to open his heart once more, and this time Ford was determined not to screw it up. After all, how many people were given a second chance?
His thoughts turned to the future.
Nathan Bridger had designed seaQuest in the hope of furthering science, believing he could use these discoveries to change the world. Hudson wanted seaQuest in the hope of furthering peace, believing it was the only way to save the world.... and Jonathan Ford... What did he want?
As he ran one finger along the opening to the pouch at his lover's groin, reveling in the gentle writhing of that firm body against his own he realised he already had *exactly* what he wanted. He hoped Ben would be just as content, willing to put aside his quest to change the world and then realised that Krieg had already taken the first step in his crusade albeit a small one. In such a short space of time he had managed to change Ford's whole world for the better.
As he gathered his new lover in his arms he breathed a sigh of contentment. Tomorrow he would talk to the Captain but for now he had a more pressing need. He ran one hand down the length of the prone body, gently stroking along the soft inner thigh and smiled as, next to him, he heard a murmur of appreciation.
THE END