Triangles

Chapter Five

          Feeling oddly light, smiling and humming to herself, Ari hurried to her new quarters. She felt as though a huge weight had fallen from her shoulders. Things had been getting too painfully intense between Miguel and herself. Ever since Captain Bridger had warned her that he was a womanizer, she'd been trying to keep as much emotional distance between them as possible. Now Tim? Tim was perfect. He was so sweet. And so very, very....

       She sighed happily, spinning around, feeling as though she were floating down the hallway. The sight of a thin, bedraggled and drenched woman in the uniform of an ensign on SeaQuest in the corridor ahead stopped her in her tracks, though.   Pausing, cocking her head to one side in consideration, she wondered who it was. She thought that she knew all of the military personnel on board. Then she nodded, recognizing by some quirk of the light the plumply pretty grad student from the picture taken a lifetime ago.

       "Hello," she said, striding forward with her hand outstretched, smiling widely in welcome, her blood still singing too wildly for half measures this night. "You must be Dr. Barlow. Captain Bridger told me that you'd be joining us before we sail. I'm Ensign Adler." Her voice sounded raspy and harsh to her own ears.

       The woman looked up, an expression of resignation on her face. "Oh, Damn," she blurted out, then covered her mouth with one hand. Dropping the hand, she smiled wryly as she shook the Ari's. "I wanted to be looking my best when I met you. The name's Trey, not Dr. Barlow. I have to admit, I didn't expect you to look so young!" she commented. Ari grinned. Then the woman leaned a little toward her and peered more closely, her eyes narrowing as she took in the bruised aspect of the other. "Or so battered, she added, with rough sympathy in her voice.

           With the rueful grin still on her face, Ari shrugged. "Nothing I can do about my age, and the doctor assures me that time will heal the bruises." She gave a shy half laugh, adding, "But then, I guess time will heal the first problem as well." Gesturing to a door, the young woman invited, "Would you care to come in. I'm still all at sixes and sevens, moving in, but I'd like to talk to you, if you have the time."

          Standing aside, Ari waited until Trey had entered the room and taken the seat at the desk. Politely, Ari stood for a few moments for the other woman to look her full, while she examined the other ensign, as well. Ari noticed the other woman's posture; pulled in and defensive. But it was directed inward, not out, almost as if she were defending against herself. Her eyes were wary, Any negative feelings she had about this partnership evaporated at the sight. Remembering the photos that had accompanied the records, and the bare recitation of this woman's history, Ari felt a surge of anger at th person who had brought about the change. She seated herself on the bed, wishing that it didn't feel so much like an interview

       For her part, Trey Barlow saw a young woman, no more than 20, very small, but proportionately so. The area around her eyes were dark bruises, green and yellow, showing signs of healing. And there was a line of similar marks around her neck. But the expression on her face was open, cheerful and welcoming, sincerely so. Her husky voice carried the lilt of the British Isles, Trey thought, not Methos' Welsh, closer to MacLeod's Scots accent.

       As Adler sat down, more like a bird ready at any moment to take flight, Trey noted other things, the physical signs of young lust and sexual intoxication. The glowing, bright eyes; the full, red lips, swollen with some man's kisses; the heightened colour; and happy, walking-on-air movements. Feeling as if she were a million years old, she smiled cynically at the sight. Ari opened her mouth to speak, but Trey beat her to the punch.

       Nodding toward her, Trey asked, sympathetically, "What happened? Who beat you up?" Ari flushed, biting her lower lip.

       "It happened about a week or so ago. Umm, some madman attacked me." She shrugged, uncomfortable with the subject and wanting to get over it. She shook her head and brushed the question out of the air with one hand. "It's over now." Turning the hand palm up, she pointed to Trey's uniform and observed, "I see you've met Darwin." A grin blossomed on her face, mischief twinkling in her eyes. "How did it go?"

      Trey snorted with amusement. "Ok, I guess. He splashed me, though."

       Ari laughed impishly. "He splashes everyone he likes. That's a good sign."

       Leaning forward, Trey asked with some interest, "How much does he understand? He seemed to operate on the level of a two or three year old, from the language he used, but I'm getting the feeling that I'm being too hasty in that. He mentioned some games. What do you play with him? And who are ... " she paused, trying to remember the names he'd mentioned, reciting them in order, from her phonographic memory, she said, "Lonnie and Tim and Miguel and Ari." she stopped again, her eyes opening, curious puzzlement on her face. "He didn't mention you."

       Ari nodded, standing up and walking beyond Trey to touch the computer lightly. A framed photograph caught Trey's eye, a couple of very distinguished and handsome older men, she noticed. Ari picked it up, her eyes sobering. With a sad sigh, her shoulders dropping, she stroked one of the figures softly, and replaced the photo. Turning around, she leaned against the desk and looked at Trey seriously with eyes suspiciously bright.

       "I'll try to answer you're questions. It's guessing I am that you haven't read my reports, yet?" Trey nodded, feeling somewhat shamefaced. "That's just fine," the lilting accent was getting stronger. A sign of weariness, perhaps? "I'm knowing it's a lot to be dumping on you all at once." She yawned, hiding it behind the back of her hand. "Darwin understands more than you might be thinking. He only appears to be juvenile because the computer language data base has the vocabulary and grammar of a two year old."

       She gave a small smile as she quickly assured the newcomer, "Not that I'll be knocking it, mind you. T'is a wonderful piece of programming, that. A work of genius." Her face became more serious as she looked at Trey, trying to impress the point upon her. "The actual dolphin language base seems to be more intricate and textured than the computer is set up to handle. And it incorporates a logic alien to our way of thought." Shrugging, closing her eyes, Ari stopped herself in mid-spate. Now was not the time to get into this. She opened them again and smiled apologetically. "But as to your question, I'm not really qualified to rate his I.Q. nor would I want to. That's your job, as I understand it. Darwin was my first friend aboard, and still is my best friend."

       She paused, yawning again, "Sorry," she apologized, realizing how rude the action was. "I just got out of the hospital this morning. I'm still a little groggy." Almost by reflex, she looked at her watch and felt her eyes widen at the sight of the time.   "Heavens! No wonder it is that I'm so out of it, that was almost 17 hours ago!" Trey nodded.

       "We can finish this later," she suggested, rising as if to leave. Ari waved her back down.

       "No, no, it's ok. I just don't want you to think that I'm yawning because of you." She settled back down on her bunk and stretched langourously. feeling like a cat, luxuriating in the movement. The thought occurred to her, if Miguel had had his way this night, perhaps ..... She shook her head sharply, trying to wake up a little more. Returning to the conversation at hand, she continued. "The people involved with Darwin? Ah, yes. Short version, Lonnie is another ensign, like us. Ensign Lenore Henderson. She's smart, funny, mostly does helms and planesmen. Very athletic." With a quick snort of laughter, she added, "She and Miguel can swim rings around Tim and me."

          Her husky voice seemed to be growing rougher, and a cough caught in her throat, With a murmured apology, Ari fetched herself a glass of water and settled back against the pillow, sipping from it during the rest of the conversation. She continued, her voice caressing the words of the next character sketch, "Tim is Lt. Tim O'Neill,j.g., our communications officer. He can speak about half a dozen languages and understand maybe another half a dozen more. He's probably the smartest guy on board and, without doubt, the nicest. I wish..."

          But whatever it was she wished remained unvoiced as the computer chose to indicate incoming mail at that exact moment. Ari gave it an eager, curious look, her heart suddenly jumping up with the wonder of who it might be, but she politely turned back to Trey, and opened her mouth to continue the thumbnail sketches. But Trey waved her hand at the terminal. "You might as well look at it," she suggested. "It might be important." To herself, she thought that the young woman seemed to be waiting anxiously for the message, whatever it was. With a nod of thanks, Ari rose and opened the program.

       Reading Miguel's words wishing her a pleasant night's sleep, Ari felt her doubts stretching thin. How could he be what the captain said he was? With a faint smile, she typed in a response, thanking him again for the movie treat and assuring him that she would, indeed, be thinking it over, but she could make no promises that she would dream of him. She wished she could. Anything would be better than the nightmares that had been haunting her sleep the past few weeks, and dreams involving Miguel ... Her smile grew softer and more dreamy as she hit the send button.

       Watching the younger woman's face flush with pleasure, Trey was sure that it was important, on a personal level. The caressing way she touched the keys and the dreamy smile turning away from the screen, in her experience, the note had to be from a boyfriend. Ari eyes stayed unfocused as she continued with the next person on Darwin's list.

       With a satisfied sigh, she said, "And then there's Miguel. CPO Miguel Ortiz, wizard at sensor and WSKRS manipulation." She fell silent, remembering other things he was a wizard at.

          Eyebrows raised, Trey waited before asking, "And that message was from him?" Ari started, blushing furiously and nodding.

       "Ummm, yes, it was. He reminded me that I ought to be going to bed soon." At the sight of the little ensign's blushes, Trey hid a smile, certain that there'd been more to it than that.

       "So anything I should know about him, other than the fact that he's taken?" Ari looked up suddenly, her complexion paling suddenly, and her eyes staring.

       "NO. It's nothing like that." Shaking her head with confusion, she seemed at a loss for the first time. "Miguel is ... umm, well. He's not someone I want to get, well, too close to, if you know what I mean. But if you want something mechanical fixed, if you have a problem that you need a practical solution for, Miguel is the one to talk to. If you have a more intellectual puzzle, a conundrum, try Tim." Her eyes turned inward and to herself she added, with a sigh, "They're both very, very good at what they do."

       Trey's mental antenna went up and she looked at the woman seated on the bed with some degree of curiousity. She wasn't, by any means, a femme fatale, but she did have something that men might find attractive, an air of innocent unavailability. Trey was beginning to understand what the Captain had meant about the social dynamics of the group. She was also beginning to feel very curious and anxious to meet them all. Cat-like, she wondered what was wrong with this man. Was he from the wrong social class? Of course, Adler, as an ensign was an officer, but it was obvious from the way she talked, that she was also well educated and probably from an upper-class family. This Chief Ortiz was enlisted and from her description, Trey was willing to bet, lower middle class, as well.

       Ari gave herself a mental shake, banishing the pleasant thoughts for the moment. It occurred to her that there had been a couple of holes in the list of persons Trey had recited, so she asked curiously. "But you didn't mention Lucas? He usually tries to join us in the mornings." Trey's face changed, as if she'd bitten into a sour lemon, pulling a grin out of the younger woman.

       "Darwin didn't mention him as a pod member." she explained sourly. "He was there introducing us." She paused, unsure about this, but wanting to know the worse. "He didn't seem too happy to see me."

       Smiling sadly, her brow wrinkled worriedly, Ari shook her head. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she tried to explain the confused young man. "Lucas has been with SeaQuest since his father parked him when he was 16. In some ways, it was probably the best thing that could have happened to him, but he's never forgotten that it was an abandonment. Another in a long series of them." She sighed unhappily.

       With a pleading expression, she went on, trying to make it clear. "With his parents so distant both emotionally and physically, he doesn't make friends easily. We, the crew, we sort of have become his family, his older brothers and sisters and so he's very protective of SeaQuest and especially Darwin. I'm afraid that, if he'd found out why you are here, your plans to observe us would appear threatening to him." Trey gave a twisted grin.

       "I couldn't threaten any one. But I see what you mean. I'll cut him some slack and see what happens." She sat back, looking at this small, confusing young woman, wondering how this was going to work out with her. "What about you?" Trey asked abruptly. "Do you feel threatened by me?" Ari frowned thoughtfully, leaning back on the bed.

          Biting her lip, she finally shook her head. "No, not now," she decided, confessing honestly, "I did at first, but that was because of something that had nothing to do with you. I thought that Captain Bridger would use your presence to get me off the boat." Her lips curved up in a small, secret smile and she wondered what it would take to make Tony drop something. As she sat there with her eyes downcast, Trey wondered just what this innocent, little girl could have done that made her think that. Then, suddenly the smile wiped away, leaving a stricken expression, as if she'd remembered something.

       Remembering the darkened bridge reminded Ari of the aftermath of the disaster. Turning away with a sigh, Ari flipped through some papers, as if looking for something, but Trey thought that she was actually hiding. What could this confident, child of priviledge have to hide from?

       Ari commented over her shoulder, "I've looked over a copy of your orders, and I know that you have neither the background nor the training to take over my research." Giving up the search, she turned to look Trey in the eyes, "But I also realize that I don't have the knowledge to analyze our group's dynamics. I think that we can work well together, filling in the blanks with one another."

       Trey leaned forward, now they were getting to something with substance. "And how do you propose that we work together." Ari blinked with surprise at the other's intensity.

       Sitting forward, she suggested, "Why don't I tell you what we do, first. Ok?" Trey nodded. "We meet at breakfast, or at least we did, before the accident. The four or five of us, Miguel, Tim, Lonnie and me and sometimes Lucas, although he generally joined us later. He likes to stay up late, you see," she added parenthetically. "After breakfast, we'd go to the moon pool and join Darwin in the water. All of us are equipped with underwater headphones, and mikes. I also have the dolphin communications board."

          "Why only you?" Trey interrupted. "Why do you have that and not the others." Ari shrugged.

          "Because, at this moment, I'm the only one who knows how to use it." She continued with her explanation. "The headphones the others use are directly linked to the computer, when Darwin talks, they hear the translation. When they talk, he hears it in dolphin. I'm miked for Darwin's transmissions, directly." She sipped the water slowly, trying to decide how best to describe the rest.

       "We stay in the water for about half an hour, with Darwin directing us. Sometimes we play hide and seek, sometimes we have scavenger hunts. But the important thing, from the research point of view, is that I'm picking up more and more of what he's saying." She leaned back.

       "I also spend about an hour a day just talking to him, and now that Baby is operational and I am too, I'll have to start reviewing the records from that." She smiled, Giaconda-like.

      "Ummm, Baby?" Trey's eyebrows raised interrogatively.

          "A small wireless satellite. It follows Darwin around and records whatever he says. It's set to download every couple of hours." She snorted ironically. "That's what brought TSUNAMI down." Trey looked indecisive. Ari nodded to her. "You have a question?"

       "Yeah, about this, this TSUNAMI? I've heard people mention it, I know that SeaQuest had some kind of accident, but I don't know what it's about."

          Ari sighed, her mouth twisted painfully. Trey was sorry she'd asked, all of the animation and joy fled from the woman, and she appeared younger, smaller and more fragile that Trey had thought possible, given her apparently habitual air of competant ability. With a sigh, Ari leaned forward. "What do you already know about TSUNAMI? Frankly, I don't know how much of it is classified and how much isn't."

       "Ok." Trey stopped to put together the hints she'd gotten from others when they'd heard about her posting. Most of the remarks had been frankly envious, apparently SeaQuest was a plum assignment. "SeaQuest was chosen to field test some new equipment and it failed, spectacularly. Because of that she was almost lost at sea."

       Sitting further up, pulling her knees up to her chest and hugging them, Ari stared at nothing, her chin on her knees. "Not ... quite ... right. But true enough. TSUNAMI was purported to be the next step in the evolution of underwater navigation, developed by Dr. Samuel Siebas. But there was a bug in it that he was determined to keep hidden, had to do with some specific frequency combinations reserved for WSKRS use."

       She shrugged, her eyes still focussed on the middle distance. "Miguel and I sent Baby out with Darwin during the trials. When she sent her information back, it touched TSUNAMI just wrong and crashed the computer, almost destroying the core, and crippling SeaQuest. Siebas went a little beserk and attacked me," her voice dropped to a strangled whisper, "and he almost killed Miguel." Inaudibly, she added something, hugging herself tightly. Trey looked at her dubiously, thinking that she heard the other woman say, "I felt him die." Buth that couldn't be right. Ari looked up, her eyes haunted, bright with the hint of hidden tears. "Look, it's truely tired that I am. Can we be finishing this up in the morning?" she begged.

       Rising hurriedly, not wanting to be around if her new partner did start to cry, Trey agreed. "Yeah, sure, whatever. Want me to meet you for breakfast." Ari nodded, looking drained and beaten, feeling suddenly, incredibly and overwhelming tired. Tired of everything. At this moment, all she wanted was to stop dealing with other people, stop trying to put on a brave face and just throw herself on the bed and think about Uncle Paul.

       "Thank you. That's a good idea. Around 0530 to 0600," she said abstractedly, adding. "Wear your wetsuit under sweats, it's easier." She walked over to the desk and picked up the photo again. Trey wondered who the men were and why Ari appeared so lost and alone when she looked at it. Then she realized what time the other woman had said and she hesitated, 5:30 in the MORNING!

       That was a lot earlier than she'd expected. Hastily, she cast her mind around for an excuse. "Umm, I don't have a wetsuit, yet, and," she paused before making the confession. "And I can't swim." Ari sighed, walking over to escort her to the door.

       As she opened her mouth to speak, the computer announced another in-coming message. With a curious, distracted glance toward it, wondering who it could be and not really relishing finding out, Ari answered the confession. "Darwin will probably be happy enough to help you learn, and we will too. But it'd be difficult for you to be observing of us without getting wet." She tried to smiled, her glance taking in the still damp uniform and finding a joke in it. "As you're knowing already." Nodding reassuringly at the thin, tense woman and looking her over carefully, she added, "I can find something for you to use, I'm thinking. Give it to you at breakfast. Will that do?"

       Trey nodded. Feeling the tension in the young woman, she tried to ease it, pointing toward the computer and grinning. "You should go see what your Miguel wants to say now. He sure is anxious, isn't he?" Her attempt at humour was rewarded with a small, crooked smile and a half shake of the head. As Ari shut the door behind the new ensign, she leaned against it, eyes closed, wanting to just disappear into the darkness for a while. Squaring her shoulders and taking a deep breath, she went to answer her mail.

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