“Commander? Commander, are you awake?”
The young man listened curiously to the rich, accented voice and wondered where it was coming from. And more importantly, who they were calling to. Was it him? Commander wasn’t his name, was it? Oh God, what was his name? He searched the recesses of his memory and came up empty. A panic rose within his chest as he realized that he had absolutely no memory of who he was.
Suddenly, the unforgiving light above him was eclipsed and he found himself staring into a large pair of sable eyes, filled now with concern. “Are you all right, Jonathan?”
He closed his eyes and shook his head negatively. “Where am I?”
“You’re on the SeaQuest. Are you in any pain? I could put more morphine in your drip.” The woman said as she gently grasped his wrist and monitored his pulse.
“What is the SeaQuest?” He asked in a strangled voice as he once more opened his eyes and tried to sit up.
“Don’t you dare…you have broken three of your ribs, and managed to give yourself a nasty concussion—“ She stopped mid-sentence as she realized what he’d asked. “Oh God…Jonathan, do you remember anything from your accident?”
“I can’t even remember my own name right now.” He responded quietly as he met her troubled gaze head on.
She placed a well-manicured hand on his arm and squeezed gently. After a moment in deep thought, she spoke again. “I don’t want you to worry…temporary memory loss is common with the type of injury you sustained to your head.”
“And what type of injury is that? I mean what happened to me?” Jonathan, for that is what he now knew his name to be, sighed and continued. “Maybe you should start off by telling me who I am.”
It was the woman’s turn to sigh. She looked to the side, and Jonathan realized that she was quite beautiful. Her auburn hair, which fell loosely around her shoulders, was pinned away from her face by a pair of combs. He drank in her elegant features unabashedly until she turned back to face him and smiled softly.
“Your name is Jonathan Ford, and you’re a commander in the UEO Navy.”
“The UEO?”
“Yes, the United Earth Ocean’s Organization.”
“And what exactly is this United Earth Ocean’s Organization?”
“Well…in the year 2017, the governments of the world decided to form an organization even more powerful than the United Nations in order to establish peace amongst the world’s population…including colonies and explorers of the ocean, which is where we come in. The Seaquest was designed for under-water research, but it also serves as a law enforcer of sorts. Um, currently, there are one-hundred and twenty-four science personnel and eighty-eight military…and well, you’re second-in-command of this tub.”
“Wow.” Was all he could manage to say as he stared at the ceiling. The woman beside him laughed gently and he found comfort in the sound. He turned his attention back to her and asked. “Who are you?”
“Oh excuse me, where are my manners? I’m Doctor Kristin Westphalen, head scientist and Chief medical officer aboard this submarine.” She smiled at him and patted his hand. “Why don’t you get some rest? It’s very late.”
“So, what are you still doing up?”
“I’m a doctor…I keep strange hours.” Kristin returned dryly.
“Can you tell me more about the accident?”
Kristin hesitated and then flashed him a false smile. “There will be plenty of time to fill you in on the details tomorrow. For right now—“
“Why don’t you want to tell me?” He interrupted.
Kristin took a deep breath. “I just think this is something you should discuss with the Captain.”
‘Why?”
“Because…well, because…I think it was a very sensitive military operation, and I was not made aware of the details.”
“So I take it this ‘accident’ occurred off of the SeaQuest?”
“We found you in a civilian launch…embedded in the side of a seawall. It’s a miracle the hull wasn’t compromised.”
Jonathan again tried to access his memory…any memory, and again was disappointed. Kristin reached across him and pulled up the light blanket until his shoulders were covered. “I don’t want you to think anymore about this tonight. I told you it may take a few days to recover your memories, and until then, I want you to take it easy. You need time to recuperate.”
“What if my memories never return.” He asked quietly, avoiding her gaze.
“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, but for right now—“
“Yeah, yeah…you want me to take it easy.”
Kristin tossed him a stern glance and lightly touched the control panel over his bed. The harsh lights were dimmed until Jonathan could barely make out the doctor’s figure. “Good night, Jonathan.”
“Good night Doctor, and thanks.”
Although he couldn’t see the actual smile, he could sense it was there. She pressed his arm once more in salutation and wandered to the small office just outside of his room. Jonathan sighed and closed his eyes, knowing that sleep would be a long time in coming.
“Why the hell didn’t you wake me up last night?”
Kristin glanced up in alarm from the mug of coffee she’d been contemplating for the last few minutes and widened her eyes in surprise. Captain Nathan Bridger stood before her angrily, hands on hips. Normally, she would have put him in his place for speaking to her in such a manner, but she knew his attitude only stemmed from worry for his Second-In-Command.
“Because you’d been up for the past three days and you needed the rest.” She responded patiently as she set the warm mug on her desk.
“I left you specific instructions—“
“Don’t you yell at me Nathan Bridger. I am not one of you subordinates.” Kristin replied as she rose to her feet.
Nathan sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “You’re right, I’m sorry. How is he?”
“Well, he was only awake for a few moments last night, and he hasn’t awakened yet…but…well…”
“What?” He asked when he noticed her hesitancy.
“He seems to have lost his memory.”
“Of what? The accident?”
“Of everything. He didn’t even remember his name Nathan.”
“But how?”
Kristin shrugged her shoulders and leaned against the wall. “The brain is a very complex organ…for the most part it’s still a mystery to us. But I did warn you that this could happen with his type of injury.”
Bridger nodded and asked. “How do we proceed?”
“I don’t know. It’s going to be touch and go for a while. Maybe he’ll wake up this morning with full memory…maybe not. The most important thing is you don’t pressure him.”
“Who, me?”
“Yes you, and Admiral Noyce, and the whole damned UEO. I don’t know what type of situation you sent the Commander in, and my guess is, I don’t want to know. But he is my patient now, and it is very important that he doesn’t over-tax himself.”
“Hey, you won’t get any argument from me.”
“Just pass the message along to your friends.” She finished in mock-anger, allowing a small smile to touch her features.
“Yes ma’am.” Nathan returned. “So…when can I see the patient?”
