Lani

by

Linda Delaney

 

(Author’s note: I was talking to a friend online about Chip, and his part or lack of part in the show in the later years, and I was struck with an idea. As we all know, one of the favorite eps is the Return of the Phantom. One of the biggest issues with it is the lack of an ending. And one of the better parts of it is the part that Chip plays in this story. It occurred to me that in all of the wonderful stories written to bring this ep to an ending, no one has really looked at Lani and at Chip. So this is my attempt to do just that. I’m dedicating it to Vitina Marcus, whom I have had the pleasure of meeting and talking to. I don’t believe anyone else could have played her so well.)

 

Lani

The slender wraith slid throughout the great silver boat. She sensed the pain of the vessel, as well as the pain within her. She sensed the sadness of the silver lady and the men that inhabited her, and she wanted to help. He was gone. Gone over to the other side, never to be able to travel between the worlds again, to torment the living with his desire to wear a body again, to feel blood flow through his veins again. The obscenity of that desire had caused so much pain on so many levels. She had come here, a link to the man that he had tried to destroy pulling her to this craft and the souls that he had so terribly harmed.

She moved silently from one cabin to the next and found the three men most affected by him. Her mind wandered back to another time…when he was kind, and caring, and loving. When they had shared love and laughter. And a child… but that time had ended, and he had gone and never returned.

She had raised that child and when the girl was old enough to wed she had and left Lani to grow old, alone. Lani had passed over and the child had also, leaving a daughter with the people of Mulayo.

It was that child, Maria, who Krueger had found all these years later in his search for a body for Lani. But Lani had known that she and Krueger could not be together in eternity until he was at peace. And taking the life of her grandchild, their grandchild, would not help him find that peace.

Krueger did not know that. He had been so focused on finding a body to return to that he didn’t or couldn’t see that this woman was his flesh and blood.

She had been able to stop him, or rather the man he had possessed, from killing her. That man, that Captain of this ship, was on the edge of passing over. He would have to fight long and hard to survive. His mortal body had been weakened almost to the edge of death. He would have to struggle to stay in his plane of existence.

And his friends, they were struggling too.

 

 

The Admiral

He was struggling with the horror of having shot his friend. In the two days that he had been back on the boat from Mulayo, he had left his cabin only to check on the Captain. He hadn’t shaved, and hadn’t eaten. He had chased his steward away every time the man came to clean his cabin and bring him food. As a result his cabin now looked and smelled awful. The three ashtrays were overflowing with cigarette butts on the desk and on the deck. The bunk was rumpled and unmade. There were coffee cups all over the cabin, some empty, some partially filled. And Nelson himself was a mess. His uniform was dirty and rumpled. He hadn’t changed or showered since the island. With Lee in Sick Bay he was going over and over his actions, his losing battle with Krueger. He knew that his actions had saved the boat and the men. When he had allowed Krueger control of his body, their minds had met and he had felt the cold determination of the man’s spirit to get Lee Crane’s body at all costs. He also knew that Lee would have done the same thing he did, if the situation were reversed. There was little doubt in Nelson’s mind about that.

Yet he felt he should have been stronger, should have resisted more. He should have shot wild and not hit Lee at all. But what would have happened then? If he had done that, wouldn’t he still have wound up in the brig, or Sick Bay, and Krueger still would have used someone else to get to Lee.

But would Lee understand? How could he understand that he, Harriman Nelson, had shot Lee Crane in front of the entire Control Room watch because he had to! The men all saw him do it. He had shot his best friend, foster son, the Captain of his boat. He had held the gun and pulled the trigger and shot him. Regardless of the circumstances, he had shot Lee! He didn’t know how he could continue to live with himself. He sat at the desk for the ten thousandth time since he brought Lee back to the boat. He held his head in his hands and let a long shuddering sigh escape. He crossed his arms on the desk and laid his head on them, giving his exhausted body and mind some rest. He didn’t know if he could continue on. He just didn’t know.

 

 

Lani and the Admiral

Lani watched and grieved for this good man, forced by Gerhardt’s incredible power to do such an evil thing. She had spoken to him several times. She knew how good he was, how much he cared for his friends, and his men. She also knew how close he was to the man he shot. He looked on him as a son. No man in his right mind, with this man’s ethics, could shoot his son. This made his pain so much worse. She knew she had to help him. She had to help him find himself and start to forgive himself. She moved unseen into his cabin, shaking her head sadly at the condition of it. This man, this strong and powerful man was on the edge of losing his control, of doing something he would long regret. She called his name softly, materializing in front of his desk.

‘Admiral Nelson…Admiral Nelson…wake up… please wake up…’

He sluggishly raised his head, looking around the cabin for the source of the voice he thought he heard. Blearily he saw Lani at the front of his desk. Startled and surprised, "You!" he hissed.

‘Yes… it is me… Lani."

"You’re the cause of all this, you and that bastard Krueger!"

‘Yes, Admiral, Gerhardt is the cause of this, and I certainly have helped him in times past. I did not want him to do as he did. I could not control him. I tried to stop him. But you defeated him. You brought your Captain and our granddaughter back here to your boat. You most probably have saved both their lives, as well as those of the rest of your men. You are a very strong man, Admiral Nelson. Surely you can take some comfort in that’

"Comfort!" he barked. "And I suppose you think I should find comfort in the fact that I shot my Captain and friend."

‘No, Admiral, I do not. I deeply regret what Gerhardt made you do, and I regret my part in it. You could not help what you did and yet you prevented it from being worse. You did not kill your friend. You were strong enough to fight Gerhardt. And you brought him and the girl back here. Your friend knows Gerhardt’s strength. He knows his power, his will. He will understand, and he will forgive you. But you must talk to him. You cannot stay here, in your cabin like this. You need to move forward. If you don’t then Gerhardt will not be human, but he will have won. And I do not believe that you want him to win."

"No, I don’t want that bastard to win anything. Not anything. But you don’t seem to understand. I don’t know how to talk to Lee. I don’t know how to tell him that I’m sorry for all his pain. Because I made it happen to him." He looked at the spirit standing there and something made him trust her, as he had trusted her before. "I don’t know if he will even talk to me again, if he survives. Jamison says its still touch and go."

‘He will only survive if he wants to. You must help him do that. No one else can. I will touch him, so he will know, and he will at least listen to you. But you have to be the one to talk to him"

Nelson’s shoulders sagged and he shook his head sadly. "I don’t know if I can, Lani. I don’t know if I have the courage to do it."

A gentle breeze brushed his face. Lani smiled at him. ‘Admiral, you will do what you must, as you always do. Just know that in this case, I will help you as much as I can." She pointed to the bunk. ‘But I think you must rest now. Gather your thoughts and your strength. I will prepare your Captain. He will listen to you.’

Nelson looked at her and nodded. The spirit was right. He needed to sleep. He had to get some sleep, clear his brain, and talk to Lee… He rose, and slowly made his way to the bunk, falling into it, and into a blessedly dreamless sleep.

 

 

Lani

She passed through the bulkhead effortlessly. As she moved from cabin to cabin the men that were in them would look and search for the slight breeze or soft touch that seemed to caress them. She moved through the many frames of the boat until she finally came to Sick Bay. It had been a place of frantic activity the last time she had passed through here. It was now a place of quiet. Quiet activity, machines softly beeping, men moving quietly about. She paused on the way to the gurney in the center of the room. The young woman asleep in the rack brought her many memories of another time, another man, who loved life. She was saddened that that once great love had brought so many to such sorrow.

Directing her attention to the man on the gurney, she paused near him. He was lying on the gurney, a white sheet covering his lower body. A large white bandage covered part of his abdomen. Attached to his chest were wires that ran from one machine, feeding into his mouth was a large tube, helping him to breathe. His skin color was very pale. Flowing into his arm were several IV lines of blood and other liquids. She drew a hand over his body, seeking to reach and touch his mind. She knew he was far away, on the edge of leaving the mortal world. He didn’t want to come back and she had to help him find the desire, for at least a little while, so his friend could talk to him. She had to help them resolve this horror that lay between their souls. She let her hand lay over his heart, her other hand over his head, touching him with hands that had no form. She reached deeply into the body to find the soul, the being that was this man.

 

 

The Captain

Lee Crane had found himself free of Krueger at last. The malignant being that had taken his body and scorched his soul was gone. He was free… wondrously free! And then with the freedom had come the pain. Incredible, crippling pain! He remembered little of how he came home. He knew that the Admiral had brought him here. The Admiral had been the one that saved him from Mulayo. He remembered that he had tried to kill the girl on the island, and that brought with it sadness and grief. And then he had remembered that it was the Admiral who had shot him, the Admiral, his friend and foster father, that had given Krueger the way to his body and soul. The Admiral had betrayed him.

Nelson had no idea of what he had done, he would never know, for Lee had decided to go over to the other side. It was…easier… He was almost there. He was on the edge, and all he had to do was to take a step and he would be free forever from pain, and hurt, and betrayal. Free forever from responsibility, from demands from ONI and everything related to all of it.

 

 

The Captain and Lani

Feather light, a mind touched his. Soft, gentle, caring…slender branches of consciousness touched his mind and requested his permission to enter and communicate. He was surprised at the request, and it forestalled his decision to move on. Intrigued, he granted permission, and a soft feminine presence entered his mind.

"Captain Crane, I am Lani…Gerhardt’s Lani."

"No! She was evil, like him! NO!" His mind pulled away, not wanting contact with him again.

‘No, I am not like Gerhardt. He cannot bother you again. He cannot leave the other side, so great was his evil. He is there for eternity. I am not with him yet. I still have work to do. I have come to speak to you of one who cares deeply for you."

"No! No one cares, not anyone here anyway."

"You are wrong, Captain. Your Admiral cares for you. As does your friend, the Commander. They both care deeply."

‘No, you’re wrong. If either one of them cared they would be here.’

‘Perhaps, Captain, they care so much they cannot bear the idea that they are going to lose their friend. Your friend cannot leave his post with both you and the Admiral unable to command The Admiral grieves over what he has done, and the pain that it has caused you. He is making himself ill. He thinks you will never forgive him"

‘I won’t…He shot me! And by doing that, he gave me to Krueger!’

"It was not his will, but Gerhardt’s. You have felt that will, that strength… you know, personally, what Gerhardt’s power can do!’

Even in this plane, Crane shivered with the remembrance of the cold evil that had controlled his body and mind. In spite of that, he refused to acknowledge Lani’s words.

‘No! The Admiral shot me and gave me to Krueger.’

‘Captain, please listen to me. He did not do it freely. He fought long and hard. But in the end it was two lives for many. He did the right thing, Captain Crane. In your heart of hearts you know that. He did what you would have done, were you in his position.’

Lee didn’t respond to her. Somewhere in his heart, he knew she was right. The Admiral had done what was for the best of the men and the boat. Something he also would have done, regardless of the cost to himself. He began to realize if he died, it would cost the Admiral everything. Everything, especially his reputation. The rest didn’t matter to him as much as his integrity and reputation. And he had risked it all, to save the boat and the men. Realization struck Lee that no matter how they resolved what was between them because of this, Harriman Nelson would always carry the weight of his actions with him.

Lani touched his mind again, feather soft waves of gentle concern surrounding him, comforting him, allowing him to see things in a new light. The Admiral. He should be worrying about the Admiral. This man who had been so important in his life, needed him.

‘How do I let him know that I am listening, if he comes here? My… body… I can’t do much…’

‘When he comes, you will be able to let him know…and your friend as well. You will be able to let them both know…your body will allow it. You will see. Those who love you and whom you love will be able to talk to you, and you will be able to let them know how you feel. Once you decide to stay in your plane, you will see.’

‘If I decide to stay, will I remember this, remember you?’

Lani’s spirit lightened, realizing that this man who Gerhardt had victimized so badly was taking her offer of help.

‘You will only remember this as dream, as a soft touch of a soul. Whatever you need from this you will take; whatever else will fade, as the memory of Gerhardt’s possession will fade. In the future, it will all only seem a bad dream.’

‘Will you be here, if I need you?’

‘No, Captain. If you decide to remain in your plane you will not need me any longer. Once my work here is finished, I will be able to join my love on the other side. We will be together for eternity. It was his wish, and it is my desire as well. I make but one request of you.’

‘For your help, I will be glad to be of help to you.’

‘Then I ask this, not for me, but for my granddaughter. Will you and your Admiral please see to my Maria? See that she is taken care of. The Island where she danced is no place for one so young. She has already seen the side of life that drew Gerhardt away from the good. Show her the other side, so that she knows there are choices that she can make. Good choices. Ones that will give her some degree of happiness.’

‘I promise you that I will see to it, Lani. I will see she is taken care of.’

‘Thank you, Captain Crane. Now I must go. Please listen to the Admiral’s words when he comes to you. He loves you like a son.’

‘Thank you, Lani. Thank you.’

She left him as she had come to him, softly and gently, and her leaving gave him a feeling of loss that he didn’t understand. Suddenly, he had a desire to return to his world, his life, his boat. At least, at the very least, he would listen to the Admiral. Lani was right about one thing. Krueger had been strong… overwhelmingly strong… He should at least give the Admiral a chance…the warm eddies of this plane began to fade and he began to move to a different one, one where his awareness of the world he lived in was greater, and the needs of his friends more pressing.’

 

 

Lani

She searched the boat for the other man, the other friend. One who was hurting in a different way than the Captain or the Admiral. This man was caught between the two friends. This man, with deep loyalty to the older man, and the common ground of firm friendship with the younger. He was confused, and in a different kind of pain. He didn’t understand what had happened, but had trusted the Admiral to make it right. And so far, the Admiral hadn’t. When Nelson ordered him to take the boat back to Santa Barbara Chip had wanted to ask a dozen questions, but didn’t. Lani sensed his disappointment, pain and confusion. She knew he wanted to keep the vigil with Lee, to will his friend back to awareness and health, but she also knew that he couldn’t do that either. She knew that he had to get the boat back to port, make sure the men were all right, and for now, settle for the hope against hope that Lee would live. She watched as he moved competently about the Control Room, visible and doing his job, and in such pain inside.

 

 

The Exec

Bob O’Brien moved quietly to the Plot Table, watching the Exec from surreptitiously lowered eyes. He could tell that Chip Morton was exhausted. He had done little but run the boat, watch the reports, guard the Admiral and check on Sick Bay so often that Jamison told him not to call again, that he would let Chip know if there was any change. Any change. There had been nothing new from that quarter of the boat since they brought the Skipper back aboard. The men had grown quiet. None of them liked being kept in the dark about the Captain’s condition. None of them wanted to give up on the man that put his life on the line for them any number of times.

Bob moved closer to Chip and saw the new lines of worry and grief that covered his face. He also saw that Morton was about ready to fall asleep on his feet. Chip hadn’t slept since the Captain and Admiral had come back aboard. It had been over two days. And Bob was beginning to take grief about it from the CMO. Not that he or anyone else on the boat could make Chip Morton do anything he didn’t want to do. Morton had been all over the boat, literally from her bow to her stern. There was nothing going on on the boat that he didn’t know about at that very moment. He was acting as Captain, and doing his own work as well as watching over the Admiral and the Captain to the best of his ability, in the time he wasn’t standing the extra watches. O’Brien decided to do what the Doc had told him to do, and try to get the XO to sit out a half watch in the Nose with the help of Jamie’s infamous ‘coffee cocktail’. O’Brien sincerely hoped he could pull it off. He really didn’t want to be court-martialed for putting a ‘mickey’ in the Exec’s coffee, but as long as the CMO was behind it what harm could it do? Anyone could see the man needed some sleep.

Bob reached across the Table to move a map, and get Morton’s attention. He placed a mug of coffee on the table, next to Morton’s hand. Chip looked up at the Second.

"What’s this, Bob?" Morton asked, grateful for the lift that the aroma of the coffee gave him.

"There was a fresh pot in the Officer’s mess, so I poured us some." He held up his own mug. "I, uh… hope that you don’t mind, sir."

Chip offered the junior officer a weary smile. "Thanks, Bob. This is perfect timing. I’m running on about half my usual energy." He offered a small gesture of a toast and took a sip of the brew. "Ambrosia of the Gods." He grinned again. "Thanks."

O’Brien sipped at his coffee and went over some figures with Morton, who in a few minutes began to rub at tired eyes. Taking that as a cue, he offered, "Mr. Morton, the watch is quiet. Why don’t you take ten and sit in the Nose. That way, I can call you if I need to, and you can catch a catnap. And you’re right there if we need you!"

Morton nodded wearily, overwhelming weariness seeping through his bones. "I think I might take you up on that. But just ten minutes. There’s too much …"

"…To do, I know that, sir." O’Brien moved his head ever so slightly, and Patterson unobtrusively moved next to the Exec.

"Let me take that cup, sir. I’ll put it on the table."

Now somewhat groggy, Chip allowed the rating to take the cup as he moved toward the Nose of the boat, and one of the high backed leather chairs. Patterson walked with him and moved to the table, as Chip maneuvered himself into a chair. As he landed, his eyes were closing.

Pat waited for a few moments, and then asked, "Mr. Morton? Sir?"

He looked to O’Brien and the Second picked up the mike at the Plot Table, double clicked it, and in a low voice, said "Sick Bay, this is the Officer of the Watch. The Exec is in the Nose, Doc. Your coffee worked."

"Very well, Bob," came the voice. "Frank and I will be right there. Sick Bay out."

O’Brien put down the mike and looked around the Con. Slight smiles appeared on the faces of some of the watch. The unspoken thought was simply that the Second and Doc had gotten the best of the Exec! This was one for the record books. The men of the watch managed to look the other way as Jamison and Frank Lerner came down the gangway in the nose and went to the Exec, gently lifting him and carrying him up the gangway to Officers’ Country and his bunk.

 

 

The Exec and Lani

Chip Morton was dreaming strange dreams. On some level he knew that he had been tricked into drinking one of Jamison’s famous coffees, but somehow he also didn’t care. He was tired. Bone tired, brain tired. And in that vein, he was pleased that at least his body was getting some rest. He didn’t know what he was going to do, much less what was going on. He believed the Admiral thought he was talking to the ghost of Krueger’s Island girl. He also believed that the Admiral had gone over the edge, and would need a long stay in an institution if he were ever going to get over this.

‘He shot Lee… he took a gun, and shot him! In front of the entire Alpha watch!

Cold bloodedly shot him!’

He tossed on his rack, restless with remembrance of his own reactions. He had taken his handkerchief from his pocket and stuffed it at Lee’s abdomen, where the bullet had lodged. ‘Ski had called for Jamison, and the rest of the watch had secured the Admiral. The remainder of that afternoon remained a blur. Of Lee being examined by Jamison on the deck of the Control Room, and the look on Jamie’s face as he realized what had happened. Of Frank and John and several other crewmen as they secured Admiral Nelson in a straight jacket and put him, none too gently, on a stretcher. The Admiral’s cries of ‘let me out of this!’ echoing as he was being carried past the men of the watch to Sick Bay.

He saw Lee on the stretcher, his color the color of the sheets. He could see the look on Lee’s face before he hit the floor. The look of absolute disbelief that Nelson could do this to him. He saw the faces of the men as they took the Captain out. The look of fear on the faces of the men, and the Junior Officers at what had happened. Lieutenant DeLuca had followed O’Brien to the Control Room. He looked at the Juniors and said quietly,

"Bob, you take the Con, Tony, you stay as the second. I’m going to Sick Bay."

In a quiet, authoritative voice he turned to the watch. "Alright, men, let’s get back to work. Mr. O’Brien will get us on a course to Pearl Harbor, at flank speed, and we’ll get to port as quickly as we can. I’ll get you all word of the Skipper as soon as I can." He had walked calmly out of the Control Room, but once out of sight of the men, broke into a dead run for Sick Bay.

He tossed again as the rest of the memories flooded his tired brain, and he tried to make sense to decide what to do. It was then that he became aware of a touch in his consciousness. Light, soft, and gentle. Seeking permission.

‘Commander, will you let me in to talk to you.’

Surprisingly unafraid, and totally curious, ‘What do you mean, let you in?’

‘Will you allow me to come into your mind and talk to you.’?

‘This doesn’t make any sense. But, yes, come in…I guess you can’t do any harm.’

‘I will do my best not to, Commander. Be calm… this is not something you are used to.’

‘Right! Usually they want Lee or the Admiral’s mind. And they don’t ask!’

He felt her gentle amusement. Then he was aware of a presence in his mind. The presence was gentle and probing, wrapping itself comfortably into his consciousness, as if it had been here before. A gentle female presence that felt comfortable, not alien.

‘I am here, Commander…I hope I have not hurt you.’

‘No… not at all… you are…gentle…not what I expected.’

Again he felt the amusement. But beneath that he felt an unspeakable sadness.

‘Who are you? What do you want from me/’

‘I am Lani, and I want to help you and your friends. I want to try and undo some of the evil that Gerhardt Krueger did.’

He was shocked at her revelation, surprised that she would want to contact him.

‘You do exist!! Then… you did talk to the Admiral… that means that he that Krueger did too…that he was here… in Lee… in the Admiral!!!!!!’

Her touch was kind and understanding, trying to help him grasp the reality of an unreal situation.

‘Yes, Commander, I was, I am real… I did speak to your Admiral. And I did try to help him. As I did try to stop Gerhardt. And yes, Gerhardt was here, and did go into your Admiral and Captain. My love was determined. Determined to have a human form again. As I have told your friends, I deeply regret any part that I played in his plans.’

Chip was surprised and confused. ‘I… I don’t know what to say to you, …I should tell you to get away…to leave my friends and me alone… my friends; you’ve talked to them? To Lee and the Admiral? They talked to you?’

‘Yes, I have… communicated with them. Your Admiral is in a great deal of pain. He blames himself for his inability to fight Gerhardt. For what happened to your friend. For what he did. And he is finding it difficult to forgive himself. And your Captain is angry, very angry with his friend for giving Gerhardt the opportunity to take his body. Neither one of them is able to understand what happened.’

‘And what am I supposed to do for the two of them. Obviously neither one of them has asked for or wants to hear from me.’ There was a note in Chip’s speech that Lani recognized at once as hurt, and disappointment.

‘Commander, I believe the problem is that neither one of them knows how. They do not know how to ask for help for a problem that they do not understand. I can tell you this. Both of them need you. They need you to be there for them, to listen to them. The three of you have a very strong friendship, based on your common bonds and respect for one another. You all draw strength from one another. That is why you listened to the Admiral, even if you didn’t believe him. That is why you are still so confused about your treatment by your Captain when Gerhardt was in his body. And why there is such pain in your heart at the thought that he may pass over and be lost to you forever. You must go to him, talk to him, let him know how you feel.’

"But what if I don’t know how to talk to him…what to say…’

‘Commander, just be there… let him know that you do care for your friend. You both share a great deal; there is much that you can tell him, that will make him want to stay in your plane. You both also care greatly for your Admiral. Tell him that as well… let him know what lengths the Admiral went to in order to find him and bring him back here.’

‘You mean I have to make him want to come back, want to talk to the Admiral? I have to make him believe the truth of how much we really need him…’

‘Yes, Commander. He needs to know how you feel about him. He knows, but he must hear it. And that will let him hear what the Admiral will tell him.’

‘But why… why are you doing this? I don’t understand… why…?’

‘Because it is my fault. I failed to stop Gerhardt. So I must right the wrong before I can share eternity with him. That is my punishment. And in a fashion his as well. He can never cross over again. We must be apart until all is well here.’

‘I’m sorry…’ Chip felt genuine sadness for this spirit that had connected with his soul. ‘Truly sorry.’ Then a sudden realization struck him, ‘if only I had listened to the Admiral at the beginning, maybe…’

‘No, Commander. Accepting the Admiral’s word when you did was more than enough. You did not know, could not know… and therefore, you did not believe. Since you have not had the same experiences as your Captain and Admiral, you are a skeptic. And that is what makes you who and what you are, and so valuable to them as a friend.’

Chip found that he was not as bothered by her statement as he could have been. He reached out to her in his mind.

‘Lani, is there anything that I can do for you to thank you for all of your help?’

‘No…there is nothing but to bring your friends together. You all need one another, and that need is your greatest strength. Work hard to bring them together and you will help me as well. Now, I must go. I have been here long, and I have done what I could. The rest of it is up to you and your friends. I will be watching, for if you are all successful, If you heal the hurt, or at least begin to, then I will be able to go to my Gerhardt’

‘Very well then, Lani. I promise you that we will try. It may take a while, but we… I will try...’

‘Goodbye, Commander. I hope that you and your friends can find the way back to the strong friendship that you have shared.’

He felt her leave him, felt her presence go as softly as she had come. Her absence saddened him yet he was grateful for her intervention. He knew he had to talk to Lee, to help the Admiral, but he had held back, using the boat and the men as an excuse to avoid them. Now he knew he needed to go to the both of them, and try to set things right for all of them again.

 

 

The Exec

Chip rolled onto his side, and slowly opened his eyes. He realized that he was in his bunk, in his cabin. He tried to remember how he got here, but his last conscious memory was of O’Brien handing him a cup of coffee, taking a few sips, and going to the Nose, and one of the leather chairs. He shook his head. Obviously, Jamison had the Second’s help in his plan.

He chuckled. Poor Bob. He was probably waiting for the proverbial shoe to fall on him. Well, he’d have to come up with something to make the man squirm for a while. He drew himself to a sitting position, and threw his legs over the side of the bunk. He was surprised to see he was wearing pajamas. One thing about Jamie, he was thorough. He checked his watch. 0430. Branson and Wallace had the watch. All the juniors were pulling doubles since Lee had been shot.

‘Lee! Had he really ‘talked’ to Lani’s ghost?’

He walked across the cabin, feeling the security of the boat smoothly moving toward home beneath his feet. He reached his closet, pulled out his robe and slippers, and donning them, left his cabin for the Sick Bay.

 

 

The Exec and the Doctor

He entered the dimly lit room, seeing Jamison asleep at his desk. Chip stopped for a moment, and then went through the collapsible doors to the center of the Sick Bay, and the gurney that stood there. Lee didn’t look any different to him than when Nelson had brought him in. He stood at he side of the gurney, hands shoved deeply into h is pockets. The machines kept at their work, keeping Lee breathing, monitoring his heart, and other functions. Steadily keeping the Seaview’s Captain alive. So intent was his concentration on his friend that he was unaware of Jamison coming to his side.

"Chip? Rather early for a visit, isn’t it?"

"I… I needed to see him. Has there been any change?"

Jamison shook his head to the negative. "No. Nothing’s changed. He’s barely with us. And right now, if he goes on like this for another 24 hours, then I would say we had better plan a funeral. Maybe two. Because if Lee goes, I don’t think Harry will be far behind him."

"I know."

Jamison looked at him strangely. "What?"

Chip sighed heavily. He had to talk to someone, and other than Lee and Nelson, no one knew him better than the CMO.

"I either had the strangest dream, have become delusional, or everything the Admiral told me was true. And right now, I think the Admiral was right…that Lani helped him. She… uh… she talked to me when I was sleeping. She told me how she talked to the Admiral, and Lee. She told me…"

Jamison was staring at the XO. He was convinced that Morton had some kind of experience. He just wasn’t sure what kind it had been. Of all the men on the boat, Morton was the most solid, dependable and the least influenced by other incidences. If, actually, when, Nelson had informed him of the presence of Krueger as a ghost, he had seriously doubted the Admiral’s sanity. When Nelson told him that Lani had helped him find Lee, he was convinced that the man had gone completely over the edge.

Now, Morton was telling him a similar story. That the ghost of the lover of the ghost of the man that had caused all the havoc had helped him understand what was going on. Will’s head was reeling. It was difficult for him to grasp all of this, and then for Chip Morton to tell him that the Ghost had helped him… he looked hard at the man. There was an earnestness in his face that Will had to believe was born of profound belief in his experience. He sighed. In his long term as the Seaview’s CMO, he had come to believe in the unbelievable. This was just one further stretch of that belief.

Chip saw the look on Jamison’s face, and had stopped in mid-sentence. Will was slowly shaking his head. "Okay, Chip. I’ll take your word for it, and hope that I don’t have the same shared experience. What do we do now? For Lee and Harry?"

"It’s up to me, she said. To bring Lee back long enough to bring them together. So get me a chair, and I’ll sit by Lee for a while. Talk to him, you know. Tell him what Lani told me about him, about the Admiral, about the three of us. And maybe I can make him want to, if nothing else… stay around long enough to talk to the Admiral."

Jamison shook his head, slightly. "Chip, I’m too tired to argue with you. If this is what you have to do, then you do it. Anything that will give Lee a better chance, anything at all."

 

 

The Exec and the Captain

Chip nodded, and shoved his hands deeper into his robe pockets. He heard movement behind him, and he waited patiently for the stool to be moved to the side of the gurney by John Warner. He nodded to the corpsman, and sat. Lee looked bad, and Will hadn’t said anything that would make him feel any better about the condition of the boat’s Captain. Extremely critical was the condition report he had received from Jamison after he had operated on Lee. Extremely Critical is what it remained.

He looked hard at his friend, whose face, even in his deeply unconscious state, told Chip that the experience had been a horrible one. Chip couldn’t begin to comprehend what it would be like to have someone take over your body, and push away your conscious mind. To be vaguely aware of what your body was doing, but not to be able to do anything about it. He shivered, although the room was not cold.

He looked over at the young woman asleep in the rack on the other side of the Bay. Nelson had said she looked like Lani, just like her. Nelson himself had seen the apparition. Just like the men on the boat had seen Krueger. They had all seen him. Seen him alive, and seen him shot, and buried at sea. And they had all seen the Captain of the boat act like Krueger and leave the boat in the flying sub.

Chip shook his head. Someday, when he had a wife, and children and grandchildren, this would be a story for the books. Right now, whatever the story was, it was too real not to have validity. Lee’s condition was proof of that.

He reached for Crane’s hand, and it was cool to the touch. Too cool for a man that should be healing. He grasped his hand, and leaned close to the gurney. He ran his other hand through his hair, and sighed.

Leaning closer to Lee’s head, hoping that he would hear him over the steady click of the respirator, he began to talk to his friend.

"Well, Lee, here we are again. You give us a run for our lives, wind up in Will’s clutches, and leave me to pick up the pieces… And this time, pal; there are a hell of a lot of pieces to pick up. Between you and the Admiral, and the men and the boat, and then we still have to explain to the authorities who the girl is and how she came to be on the boat. Lee, you aren’t going to believe this, but I’ve talked to Lani. Krueger’s wife, or what ever she was to him. She came to me while I was sleeping." He shook his head in disbelief at what he was saying aloud to his friend.

"You know if a week ago I thought that I would be having this one-sided conversation with you now, I would have locked myself up in the looney bin with Dr. Bricker, and go from there. But now, after all that’s happened, I don’t know. I kinda think that even he would find all of this hard to believe." He sighed again, "Anyway, Lani said she spoke to you. That you said you were ready to leave us, and move on. You can’t do that, Skipper. We all need you too much, for you to take a trip and not come back."

He let go of Crane’s hand, and laid it on the side of the gurney, but kept his hand on the Captain’s arm. He shifted on the seat, and continued.

"Lee, I can’t begin to tell you, even now, what losing John Philips did to this boat, and to the men. They loved him as a Captain, and many of them as a friend. I did too. Besides being my CO, he and I had been together here since the keel was laid on the Seaview. I’m not going to tell you how many times he and I took the red-eye cross country to the Shipyard to inspect the work on the boat, and back again to meet with all the people that the Admiral kept bringing to the Institute; to see the drawings of the boat; to see the work going on building the Institute, and to talk them all into giving us the financial support that the OOM needed for the building to continue. John was much better at it than I was. He was a lot more comfortable with that kind of person. But still, we got things done… we got her built. And launched. And then, John was killed. The same day, when we were recovering things from crash site, the Admiral asked me into his cabin. He asked me if I wanted to be her Captain. And I told him ‘no’. I didn’t want to command her. I’m happy being her XO. So he told me he was bringing you aboard, temporarily. And he would see if you got along with ‘her’. Lee, it was obvious from the moment you came aboard, that you two ‘fit’ one another. Like a glove, I think the Admiral said. To me, it was as if she was made for you to command her. And the men, once they got used to you and your style, well … right away, you were the ‘Skipper’. And in a sense, I think they have come to care for you even more than they ever did for John. Lee, they can’t go through losing another Captain."

He shook his head wearily. "And me… Well, I don’t want to lose another friend. A closer friend. A brother. I need the one that I have. I've got too much history with you to try and do it again with someone new. I'm getting too old for this...all of this! And I sure as hell don’t want the Admiral to go through that again either. I couldn’t deal with him, and losing you, too. Enough’s enough, Lee. I know from what Lani told me that this was horrible for you, but dammit, don’t do this! Don’t leave me to deal with him and the men and the press, and all of that all over again. I can’t do it, Lee. I can’t deal with losing you, and having to deal with the Admiral too. You’d better get back here soon, pal. Real soon! This boat needs her Skipper, and I ain’t it! The Admiral needs to talk to you… needs you to tell him that you know that this isn’t his fault, that he had no control over what happened, and that you forgive him. He needs that, Lee. You see, he’s feeling like he did the unthinkable, shot his son. You are that to him, you know… his son… the one he’s never going to have. And he shot you… and you are close to dying, and he doesn’t know how to deal with the guilt. Please, listen to me. Please come on back. We all need Lee Crane in our lives, as friend, son, brother, commander… Think about it, Lee. Just think about it. Lani said you would hear me, so do, huh?"

He slid off the stool, taking a last look at his friend. Checking his watch, he saw that the time was near 0600. He had enough time to just shower and shave before he went on duty again. He looked over at Jamison, and saw the doctor give him a weary nod. He would, Chip knew, subsist on coffee and catnaps until Lee was out of the woods, and all was right again in the world. Chip left the Sick Bay, hoping that the man on the gurney had heard what he had to say, and headed towards Officer’s Country, and his shower.

 

 

The Captain

The thick murkiness was pushing down on him, keeping him from reaching the door that beckoned so close. He heard a voice, one that called his name, and talked to him in a familiar tone. He wanted to get closer, to hear all the words, but something was pulling him, holding him back. He didn’t know how to get loose, to get closer to the door. He was trying, trying to break away and get to the door. But it remained just out of reach. He decided that he would try, one more time; with all the energy he had to get there. The voice was willing him, telling him not to go over, and he wanted to hear all that the voice had to say.

He gathered his strength, and prayed that he would be able to go, to get to the door and thru it. He felt the murkiness lift slightly, and with the door in sight, lunged for it. He landed with both hands against it, and he found, to his dismay, no knob. He pushed hard against it, and it gave, and opened slightly. The voice became louder, he recognized Chip Morton’s voice, heard him talking about the Admiral. How the Admiral loved him like a son… and how he was feeling guilty for shooting him. He heard Chip saying how he didn’t want to lose a friend, and how he didn’t want to have to deal with the Admiral if something happened to him. And he heard Morton’s voice telling him that he too had talked with Lani, and that she had said that Lee would hear him. He also heard the quality in Chip’s voice that told him so much more than the words did. The depth of their friendship was what pulled at Lee, and made him determined to return, to let Chip know how much he, too, valued that…

 

The Doctor

Will Jamison checked on the Captain of the Seaview for what had to be the tenth time in as many hours. He was deeply concerned for since they had brought Lee back to the boat, he had stabilized him, but had been unable to note any improvement in his condition. The damage that the bullet had done had been significant, and Will had Lee under the anesthetic for nearly ten hours before he had all the internal damage corrected. Infection had been rampant within the Captain’s body, and he had developed a raging fever. Doing surgery when they brought him in had been a huge risk. But not to do it would have been even m ore of a risk. The bullet itself had entered in the lower right abdomen, torn through the lower intestines, and several smaller organs. His entire abdominal cavity had been nothing less than a disaster. What had amazed the medic was that Lee was alive at all. It had been two days between the shooting, and Lee’s return to the boat, and he should have been dead by then, without any medical care. Instead, as critical as Lee’s condition was, Jamison knew that it should have been much, much worse. Something had prevented that worsening over the two days. Will didn’t know what or how, but he did know that something had kept Lee Crane from dying before he got back to the boat. What ever it had been, he was grateful for it happening.

He checked his patients’ vitals again; worrying at the low readings, wishing his the Captain would wake and begin to give him a hard time. He shook his head again, and left the chart on the gurney, moving to his desk, and pulling out a medical journal, intending to read until the next interruption, or emergency. He calculated he had had a total of maybe two hours sleep since Lee was brought back to the boat. He leaned back against the bulkhead, and closed his eyes, hoping to grab a few minutes of sleep…

 

 

Lani and the Doctor

‘Doctor?’

Will Jamison felt the soft touch and sound of a feminine personality. Light, but seeking…

‘Doctor Jamison?’

‘Yes? Who are you? What are you? What are you doing in my dream? This… this is a dream, isn’t it?’

‘A dream… a visit…something that you cannot or do not want to explain…’

‘I…’

‘Doctor, I am Lani. I have come to help you and the men that Gerhardt Krueger hurt.’

‘ So, Chip was right.. You ‘touched’ him.’

‘Yes… I have ‘touched’ as you call it the three that Gerhardt hurt the most and now, you, because you need to know that I exist. They will need your help…The Captain will need your Medical expertise. The other two, your friendship.’

‘Then Lee will live?’

‘Only if he has the desire to. He is searching for answers. The Admiral has the key to that. And your Captain must hear him out, in order to decide if he is going to remain in this plane, or move to mine. He has heard his friend. He is at the door. He is trying to come back. You must help him, now, doctor. Go and help him thru the door…now, or he will be lost… Go, doctor…’

Jamison opened his eyes, rubbing them hard. He would have sworn he had heard a feminine voice talking to him. He looked over at the gurney, and he swore he saw a slight shadow standing there… but then, it was gone. He rose, and moved to Crane’s side. Looking at the machines, he saw the slight changes, in heart rate, and brain activity.

Encouraged, he took Lee’s hand in his, "Skipper… Skipper, this is Jamie…C’mon, Lee, if you’re going to wake up, let’s do it now… C’mon!"

 

 

The Captain

Lee heard Jamison’s voice. It seemed to be close by. He didn’t want to let go of the thin thread that he was following to voice. The thread seemed to be getting shorter, and he was afraid… afraid that it would break before he got to his goal. He held it tighter, and the voice came closer. He could hear it, telling him to wake up, now! He made a note to tell Jamison when he woke to get a better bedside manner. He also wanted to tell him that he was coming to the voice as quickly as he could. One thing that he and Will long had in common was impatience when they wanted things to get done. After all, Will did know how he hated Sick Bay. He found the thread had reached the end, and he grasped at the end of it, and suddenly found himself falling …

He opened his eyes, slowly and carefully. The room around him was darkened, in the false night of submarine night. Will was standing at the side if the gurney, looking at a chart, and talking softly. Lee realized that Jamison was talking to him. "… And furthermore, Captain Crane, I won’t let you go without a hell of a fight, so you had better…" his words trailed off when he saw Crane’s eyes open and watching him. "Lee?" He asked softly, suppressing his happiness, almost afraid of saying the name. Then louder, "LEE!"

Crane blinked once, aware of the respirator, and his immediate inability to speak.

"You’re back! Did you hear me?"

Crane blinked again. Jamison smiled broadly. Calming himself down, he started speaking to the Captain, and giving orders to his corpsmen at the same time.

"Lee, just relax. I’m going to run some tests, and then we’ll take the respirator out, and you’ll at least be able to talk to me a bit" Crane nodded slightly, and Jamison laid a reassuring hand on the Captain’s shoulder. "It won’t be too long, Lee. I promise."

Crane closed his eyes and tried to relax, as Jamison and the corpsmen moved about the room. Hands were touching him, touching the tubes and wires that were attached to his body. Hands gently moved him from one side of the gurney to the other, all the time keeping a steady stream of conversation that remained little more than a constant buzz. He was awake, and aware, but the heavy medications that he was being given didn’t allow for him to have his usual level of clarity. The only thing he became more aware of was the burning pain in his side that spread throughout his stomach, and seemed to radiate into his entire torso. He groaned, and the hands stop what they are doing, and Jamison asked, "Are we hurting you?"

Lee managed a muffled ‘Mmmppf’, which Jamie took as a ‘yes’ and seconds later, he felt warmth spread throughout his body, and he gave into the soft feeling of floating. Then the voices and hands began to gently remove the tape holding the respirator tube in place. Then Jamison said, "Lee, this is going to hurt some, but I need you to cough on the count of three, as hard as you can. I need you to do this, okay?"

He nodded slightly, and waited to hear the medic’s order. A firm hand rested on his shoulder, and Jamison said, "Ready, Lee…one…two… three…!"

Crane coughed, hard, and his body flamed. At the same time, he felt the tube sliding out of his chest, and his mouth. Once it was out, he gulped several deep breaths, and opened his eyes. He found Jamison looking at him closely, brown eyes filled with concern. He nodded, and said softly, in a dry, raspy voice, "So… when… do…I …get…out …of …here?"

The doctor shook his head, a smile creasing the worn face. "Skipper, you are on your way to recovery!" he chuckled. "Would you like some water?"

"Yes…thanks, Jamie." He croaked.

He reached behind, and took a cup with a straw, and held the straw to Lee’s lips. The Captain sipped slightly, letting the water moisten his mouth, and lips. "Better… thanks… How long? "

"The Admiral brought you back aboard almost three days ago, now. We operated on you right away. You’ve been in a coma since."

"How bad?"

"Let’s just say, ‘bad enough’. You ‘re going to be here for a while… something of a long while. And there’s nothing you can do about it! You’re going to be as weak as a newborn foal. Weaker, even."

He closed his eyes, and took another deep breath. "The Admiral, Jamie… how… how is he?"

"He’s in his cabin. He hasn’t been here since he brought you in. Too much guilt for him face. But I think that he’ll be feeling better now that you’re awake."

"The men, the boat…Chip?"

"Every thing is fine, but I think the Exec is going to have to have a long rest, once we get to Pearl. You and Harry owe him a long leave! A very long leave."

"I know… where is he?"

"On duty, otherwise, he’d be here. He’s been haunting me since you were brought aboard. I had Bobby conspire with me to force some downtime on him, and he still managed to get here…"

Lee smiled wearily. "That’s Chip!" he sighed, "Throat’s sore, Will…mmmm tired, too. Tell Chip…Admiral… Need to talk to them… Lani… Lani said…"

Jamison patted the Captain’s arm. "Lee, I know… I… ‘talked’ to her too… they’ll be here when you wake up, I promise…"

"Mmm, that… that’s good, Will… need to see… the… Admiral…"

Jamison watched the Captain until his breathing became more regular, and he saw he was in a deeper sleep. Then he motioned to John and Frank, and they moved Crane to one of the racks on the sides of the room, setting the monitors, and tubes in place. Making sure Crane was well settled, the medic made several notes on the Captain’s chart, and went to his office. He placed the paperwork on his desk, and signaled Frank to join him. As Frank came into the office area, Jamison was moving about at the cabinet behind him. He turned to his Senior Corpsman.

"Frank, I want you to watch the Skipper, and if you need me, I’ll be in the Admiral’s cabin. It’s time that Harry and I have a long talk."

"Okay, Doc. I’ll watch the Skipper, and call you if I need you." He paused and looked at Jamison. "Good luck, Doc. If you’re going up against the OOM, I think you’re gonna need it."

Jamison held a bottle of Glen Livet and two glasses up… "Here’s my help… If nothing else works, then I have a few tricks left!"

Lerner laughed, and shook his head. "Aren’t too many that can best you, Doc."

Jamison grinned back, "I certainly hope not, Frank. I have to keep one or two steps ahead of the pack so to speak…"

Lerner nodded again, and went into the open area of the Sick Bay, to clean it up, move the gurney and watch the Captain. Jamison left for Officers’ Country.

 

 

The Admiral and the Doctor

Nelson heard the sharp knock on his door, but chose to ignore it. If he ignored it enough, perhaps it would go away. He was sitting at his desk, staring at the picture he kept there

of Lee, Chip and himself at the ceremony when he had received his fourth star. He doubted in his heart that the feelings of friendship and respect they had shared that day would ever exist again. It broke his heart, and made him feel a broken man. He couldn’t forgive himself for shooting Lee… no matter what Lani said, what anyone said… He had pulled the trigger!

There was another rap on the door.

"Go away, damn you!"

With that the door swung open, and Will Jamison strolled leisurely into the Admiral’s cabin. "Thanks for the warm greeting, Harry." He set the bottle of Glen Livet on the desk, and plopped in the chair next to it. "Just wanted to bring you news of Lee."

Jamison’s face was completely unreadable to the Admiral, and not seeing anything he could take as good news, he said, flatly, "He’s dead, isn’t he, and you wanted to tell me yourself, and watch the old man crumble. Well, go ahead, Will, say it. Tell me… ‘Lee’s dead, and you killed him.’ Then bring in the MAA and have them take me to the Brig." Nelson rose shakily, and stood in front of the medic. "Go on, dammit! Tell me!"

In his most quiet and authoritative voice, Jamison looked him in the eye, and said, "Lee’s going to make it, and he’s asking for you."

Nelson’s face collapsed, and his hands began to shake. He swayed, and Jamison rose, and caught him, guiding him back to his chair.

The blue eyes, bloodshot and years older than they were looked at the CMO, searching the face for an indication the doctor might have been telling him an untruth. Finally, he blurted out, "You mean it? He’s going to live?"

Jamison smiled and said, "Yes, he’s going to live… and in about three to five days, he’s going to start to give me his classic line, which I will choose to ignore. The boy’s going to be fine, Harry. All he needs now is to rest, and recuperate. And so do you, Morton and the men… all of you need that." He poured two large splashes of the scotch into the glasses and gave one to Nelson, and took one for himself. "I need this, Harry and so do you. This is your doctor, telling you to drink the whole damn thing."

Nelson looked at Jamison, pausing for several seconds, and then downed the whole glassful in a gulp. He set the glass on the desk. Then quietly, he asked Jamison,

"What did Lee say? What did he say about… about the shooting?"

"Nothing, Harry… all he said was that he needed to talk to you and Chip. And I promised him that you would be there when he woke up. And you will be. I’ve given him a sedative and pain killer that will keep him sleeping another four or five hours." He looked at Nelson, the relief that Lee would live, and the strong alcohol in a system that hadn’t eaten any food in nearly three days, caused the Admiral to quickly feel the effects of the scotch. His eyes began to close as he fought the overwhelming weariness.

"C’mon, Harry, let’s get you to your bunk. I’ll send Frank in for you when Lee starts to wake up." He wrinkled his nose at the smell in the cabin, and its condition. "And I’ll get your steward in here to clean it up, while you sleep."

He sat the Admiral on the edge of the bed, and smoothed the rumpled sheets, laying him back when they were at the least looking more presentable. Nelson was asleep before his head was on the pillow. Jamison shook his head, and after settling the Admiral, turned. He sat at the desk, and picked up the phone, calling stores.

"Chief Hasler? This is Doc."

"Yessir? How can I help you?"

"Chief, I need you to send the Admiral’s steward to his cabin now. It needs a cleaning and straightening badly. The Admiral is asleep in his bunk, but I don’t believe that he is going to wake up anytime soon. Have him up here, ASAP, and tell him he has to work fast, and quietly. Welch is a good man, and I know he can do it. Tell him that the Admiral’s bunk will be changed later, but have him bring clean linens, and a change of clothes too, I'll wait here, and let him in. Just tell him to make it fast, this place needs some serious policing!"

"Yessir. Welch’s on his way now, Doc. He’ll see to it."

"Thanks, Chief." Jamison put the phone down, picked up the Glen Livet bottle, and glasses and put them all in Nelson’s liquor cabinet. He looked at the room and shook his head, marveling at the mess that Nelson had left. There was a light knock on the cabin door, and Jamie moved to it and let the steward in.

Larry Welch, Seaman 1^st class, was and had been Harriman Nelson’s steward for the last three years. He served in Ship’s Stores when not taking care of the Admiral. He was quiet and discreet, a small, slight man, with grey-blonde hair, and brown eyes. He usually had an ebullient personality, and was a good match for the mercurial Nelson, but now, his usually cheery face was sober.

"How’s he doin’ sir?"

Jamison smiled at the steward, as the man hung Nelson’s clean khakis in his closet. "Believe it or not, he’s better, Larry. Much better, I think. Here’re your orders, direct from the CMO. I want you to clean the cabin, and leave the fresh towels in the head. Then go to Cookie, and get him hot coffee, and a sandwich, and bring it back here. When he wakes, I want you to be here, and see that he eats, and takes a hot shower. No guff from him. When he’s all done, call me, and I’ll tell you when to send him to Sick Bay. I’ll make sure the Exec and the COB know where you are and what you are doing. Is all that clear?"

"Yes, sir, Doc, it sure is. Is there anything else that you want me to do?"

Jamison smiled again. "No, Larry. I think I’m asking enough of you… more than enough. I’ll talk to you when you call me." Jamison took the knob in his hand, and turned to leave, then turned back to the steward. "I don’t know what kind of a mood he’ll be in when he wakes, so be prepared for anything… anything at all."

"Aye, sir. Just leave the Admiral to me, sir. It IS my job!" Jamison heard the pride in Hasler’s voice, and saw it on his face, and he replied, simply.

"I know, Larry. No one can do it better. That’s why I called for you. Thanks." And he went into the companionway, slowly closing the door behind him. Welch looked around the cabin, and in deference to the man sleeping on the bunk, kept his silence while he quietly and efficiently cleaned it.

 

 

The Doctor and the COB

After he left the Admiral’s Quarters, Will Jamison returned to Sick Bay to check on his patient, and seeing the COB sitting at the bedside, he moved over to the man, and laid a hand on his shoulder. Sharkey looked up at the medic, and quirked his lips.

"I told Frank I’d sit with the Skipper for a while, Doc. He’s exhausted, and he said that the Skipper wasn’t in any danger. You all were just gonna watch him ‘til he woke, and then get the Admiral. So I figured I’d just sit with him, ya know."

"I understand, Sharkey, perhaps better than you know. Has the Captain stirred at all?"

"No, sir. He’s just been sleeping real quiet. Mebbe too quiet?"

"I don’t think so, Chief. It’s a good deep sleep, the kind that the Skipper needs a lot of if he’s going to get well."

Sharkey nodded his head, indicating some understanding of what the doctor was saying. "Then, he’s gonna be okay?"

"Let’s just say that I’m more hopeful than before. Much more hopeful. I don’t think he’s out of the woods yet, but I am more hopeful."

"Then what you’re saying Doc, is that the Skipper’s on the mend. And sooner or later he’s gonna patch things up with the Admiral and everything will be alright, right?"

Jamison smiled at the Chief’s simplistic reasoning. The bottom line was that Sharkey was, hopefully, right. If Lee recovered physically then the rest of things would fall into place. ‘at least according to Lani. Lord in heaven, do I hope that she’s right!’

"Well, Chief, if you don’t mind staying with the Captain, then I’m going into my office, to catch up on some paperwork…When the Skipper starts to wake, call me…I’ll need to get the Admiral here…ASAP."

"Sure, Doc. Will do." Jamison nodded, and passed through the doors to his office, sitting at the desk, and picking up some papers. John Warner arrived with coffee and poured a cup for Jamison, and then one for the COB, delivering it to Sharkey in the main part of Sick Bay. Sharkey nodded his thanks, and Warner left him, going to the opposite side of Sick Bay, to work on the stores inventory.

 

 

The Senior Staff and the Doctor

Jamison didn’t have to send for Nelson. Several hours after he’d left him in his cabin, Harriman Nelson walked into Sick Bay. Sharkey was still sitting in a chair, next to the Captain’s rack, watching the sleeping man, and Jamison had his nose buried in a text. Nelson walked to the Doctor’s desk, and stood, as Will stopped his reading, looking up at the Admiral.

"Harry… how’re you feeling?"

In a voice that was quiet and unlike the usually forceful one Jamison was used to, he replied, "Lousy. Thanks for asking." He nodded toward the other room, "Lee?"

"Still sleeping. His ‘guard-dog’ was here when I got back from your cabin."

"Thanks for sending for Welch. He did a good job of cleaning my cabin, considering the condition it was in, and yes, before you ask, I ate the sandwich that he brought up from the Mess."

Jamison smiled. "It’s one of the perks of being CMO… I can leave orders that you have to obey from the Admiral to the lowest rating." He gestured to the seat next to the desk. "Have a seat, Harry. It won’t be long now before Lee wakes up."

"Umm, that’s good." He sat warily in the chair. " I have to tell you … I am having some doubts about my self. My mind… I think that I’ve had another meeting with Lani."

Jamison looked at the Admiral calmly, and said, "You aren’t the only one who’s ‘talked’ to her. Seems she’s been paying the entire commands staff visits. Myself included. If I didn’t have the experience, I think I would have an extra large padded cell at Oceanview readied for the rest of you . This whole thing… seems …seems like something… out of a dream… or a nightmare."

"It is… it was … a nightmare… Krueger… the U-444… a nightmare… and Lee suffered the worst of it. Did he say anything… I know I asked this before, but I really have to know…"

"No Harry… he didn’t except that he had to talk to you and Chip. I told him that you’d be there when he woke. And Sharkey, well, he’s been Sharkey…"

Nelson smiled crookedly, "Understood." Looking at the pot of coffee on Jamison’s credenza, he asked, "Is it fresh and is it safe?"

Jamison chuckled. "Yes to both. And I think that you ‘d need some about now… How many cigarettes since you woke up?"

"Too many to make you happy. I needed the jumpstart. "

"Not good, Admiral…not a good thing at all." He rose and refilled his mug, and gave a filled one to Nelson. "I do wish you’d give those things up, Harry."

"Humpff… When pigs fly and hell freezes over, Will. I need my cigarettes. Just like you need to fight with Lee every time he’s hurt. Look," he took another sip of the coffee, "I’m going to send Francis back to his bunk so he can crash for a while before his watch. He can tell Chip that I’m here, and to come down here when his watch is finished." He nervously twisted the mug in his hand. "He said he wanted to see me?"

"Yes, he did, Harry. He said he had something to tell you… that he needed to tell you what Lani told him."

Nelson looked skeptical, and Jamison shrugged, "I’m just the messenger. I’ll tell you what she had to say to me at another time." At that moment, Sharkey got up from his chair next to the Captain’s bunk, and moved to the small office. "Doc…Admiral… the Skipper’s startin’ to wake up. He’s expecting to see you, sir." He nodded at Nelson.

"So I’ve been told, Francis." He clapped the COB on the shoulder. "Thanks for taking the watch. I appreciate it."

"No problem, sir. Just doin’ my job." He looked at Jamison, "Doc, I’ll be in the aft storage compartments. There’s some work we have to get done there, there was some damage from the uh…mission, and I want to get all of it done before we reach port. I f you need me, Doc…Admiral…." He nodded and went out. Jamison looked at Nelson.

"Well, Harry, looks like it’s your watch. All I can say is that he’s going to expect you to be there…"

"Time for me to face my demons, so to speak."

"Whatever way you want to put it, Harry. I’ll be right here if you need me."

Nelson reluctantly rose and went to the chair that stood by Lee’s rack. He sat, and took a good look at his Captain and friend. Lee’s color was better than it had been when he’d been brought aboard. Then it had been pasty white, his skin cold to touch. Now, Nelson felt the warmth in the officer’s body when he reached to touch his hand, and saw his complexion was closer to his natural, healthy color. Crane still was attached to the various monitors, and tubes, but the ventilator was gone, and he seemed to be resting well, to Nelson’s eye. There was a large white bandage that poked out from the sheet that covered him to his waist. Nelson tightened his grip on the Captain’s hand, to reassure him that he was, indeed there, and to reassure himself that Lee was recovering.

The touch seemed to pull Lee back to consciousness. He felt the warm grip on his hand, and he wondered who it was. He decided that he had to wake up to find out, and reluctantly fought to open his eyes, and see.

Nelson watched the face of his friend, as he began to wake further, and he started slightly as a chair was placed next to the one he was sitting on. Chip Morton slid onto the seat, and nodded to Nelson, telling him, "Doc said Lee was waking up. Bobby took my watch so I could be here." Nelson nodded, and watched Lee.

Slowly, Crane opened his eyes. The two figures sitting next to the rack were blurry, but he knew who they were without seeing their faces clearly. ‘Chip…The Admiral! Lani said that they would be here… she said she ‘spoke’ to them.’ His vision continued to clear as the two faces came into clearer view.

He cleared his throat, and Chip leaned forward, offering him a cup of water, with a straw. He took a few sips, and swallowed slowly. "Thanks…"

Chip flashed a grin, "Welcome back, pal! Glad to have you with us again, Lee."

"I can’t tell you how glad I am to be here, Chip… really glad… you…okay…Admiral?"
Amber-hazel eyes locked onto bright blue ones, now shining with tears.

"I… I’m fine… Lee… just fine…"

Lee looked closely at the craggy features, and shook his head back and forth once, in the negative. In a voice that was still raspy from the ventilator, he replied, "No, sir, you’re not fine. You look like you’ve been through hell. Kinda like I feel…"

"It’s my fault that you feel that way, Lee. Can you forgive me for shooting you? For causing you this pain." The shoulders, usually strong and straight, sagged. He held his head in his hands, "Can you?"

Chip’s face was the picture of concern for the older man, and his friend as well, but he wisely kept his own thoughts, at least for now.

Lee reached out for Nelson, trying to make contact with him. His hand landed on Nelson’s knee, and he left it their. Nelson covered it with his own hand, hoping the connection would help. Softly, Lee said, "Admiral… It wasn’t your fault. It was Krueger. We both know that. We all know that." Lee’s eyes took on a far-away look. "He was evil, Admiral. Maybe not before, but evil now, anyway…he was cold…so cold… he… he wanted me to kill the girl…was making my body try and strangle her. He wanted her body for Lani. But Lani didn’t want that. She didn’t want to be mortal again… and he couldn’t understand that. I don’t know where I was all that time, but I knew what he was doing, and I knew that he was using my knowledge to do the things he wanted to do. I couldn’t do or say anything, I was like a watcher… and in the end, well, he was sad, in his way… very sad he didn’t understand Lani, although he loved her… and …"

"Yes, Lee?"

"I… I feel sorry for him…even after all this. I never want to feel what I felt when he controlled my body, I never want to know that kind of evil again. But I do feel sorry for him…he’s spent all his time in the other plane seeking something he couldn’t have. Something that he shouldn’t have. And he has caused a great deal of suffering and anguish, and he has failed. If we, you and Chip and I give him the control of our feelings, if we allow him to break our friendship, make us stop caring for one another, then, well he won’t have my body, and eternal mortal life, but he will have won any way. You, Admiral, don’t have to apologize for anything… you couldn’t control your actions, any more than I could when I punched Chip." He shifted slightly, and looked at the XO. "I’m sorry about that, Chip. I couldn’t control my actions. Krueger…" he shivered with the memory, "Krueger was in control. I tried… I tried not to let him have my knowledge, my awareness of things… By telling you to take the boat to Pearl on the surface, I was hoping it would let you know that something wasn’t right."

"No problem, Lee. I knew something wasn’t right when I found you standing at the plot table not an hour after being shot. I saw the wound, when I stuck my handkerchief there to stop the bleeding… I knew how bad it was. So to see you at he plot table…well I realized there that there was lot going on that I didn’t understand. The Admiral convinced me to let him out of Sick Bay, and with Lani’s help, well, we got you back here, and, well, it looks like we’ll be back to normal at some point soon. And I think we all have to thank Lani."

Wearily, Lee added, "There’s more… we have to do more than just thank her… I… I almost killed that girl…Maria…she’s her granddaughter…did she tell either one of you that?" Neither Nelson nor Chip acknowledged Lee. "I guess she didn’t …but she told me…and asked a favor…she asked if we would see that Maria is taken care of…"

"Of course we will…she didn’t have to ask that… of course, she couldn’t have known that. Maria helped to save your life, and I owe her for that. I owe Lani a great deal… we all do…" he looked carefully at Crane, whose eyes were beginning to grow heavy. He leaned forward, and took Crane’s hand from his knee, tucking it into the blankets of the rack, as a father would with a son.

"Now that you’re back with us, son, we’ll have plenty of time to talk. You rest…"

"Mmmm…yes… rest… S’okay, Admiral… not your fault you know." then suddenly more alert for a moment, "Chip, status of the boat?"

Chip grinned at Nelson, and smiled at Crane, "The status of the boat is operational and at the ready, Skipper. We’re heading for home at flank, at cruise depth. Bobby has the Con, and we’ll be halfway home before you know it…"

"Good….good… Next…next watch…. Re..reports…"

"Aye, Skipper… just rest now… just rest…"

Crane passed into a deep natural sleep, and a load was lifted from the shoulders of Harriman Nelson. He knew that Lee didn’t blame him for the shooting, and while he would carry the guilt, it was greatly lessened by the fact that Lee knew why he did what he did…

Chip Morton was relieved to see that the guilt that Nelson had was, if not gone, at least lifted… and he now knew that he too had made the right decisions in this matter… he said a silent prayer of thanks to the island girl at the root of the solution, and promised himself that he would see that Maria would have every opportunity that her grandmother had not

Later that night …..

 

 

Lani and Maria

Lani had one more person to contact before she left the boat. The men that she had needed to help had begun their healing. There was only one more thing for her to do. One more special one to join with for a little while, so that she may get to know her, before she left. She sought Maria. And softly sought her mind. Her gentle probing piqued the interest of the young woman, who allowed her into her mind.

‘Child? I am Lani, your grandmother.’

‘Grandmother? You are long dead. Why? Why are you here? With me, like this?’

‘Because the time has come for me to contact you… for you and I to ‘KNOW’ one another. Because of what happened to you.’

‘That man tried to kill me, that’s what happened to me. Then you and I would really have been able to know one another.’ Her bitterness and fear was evident in her words.

‘It was not your time, Maria. And the man, that tried to take your life…’

‘He told me he was sorry, that he didn’t mean to hurt me…but he tried! And then the other man was there, and he was telling me to help him carry that one to a raft. He didn’t seem to have the same anger and desire, and he was so hurt… so very hurt. In that boat, there was so much blood...’ the panic and fear in her thoughts were evident to Lani, who tried to calm the fears.

‘The man who tried to kill you was acting that way because he was possessed by a spirit…the spirit of Gerhardt Krueger, your grandfather.'

Maria’s spirit was quiet. Then she questioned, ‘my grandfather? He used that man’s body to try and kill me? But why? Why would he do that? Why would he want me to die?’

‘Because all his spirit saw was your face… your face that looks so much like mine, many years ago. His spirit was so driven to have flesh again, that he did not recognize you. I knew, tho… and I determined to help you… I told him he could not let that man take your life. If he had, then I would not be with him… in any way.’

‘I don’t understand…I don’t understand any of it.’

‘Maria, child, this is difficult for me explain, as it is a tale that concerns many things you do not, or cannot understand. But I will try to explain this all to you.’ Maria detected hesitation from this personality claiming to be her long dead Grandmother. After a bit, Lani began…

‘Child, when I was younger than you are now, Gerhardt Krueger came to these islands. It was before the war they called ‘the Great War’. He was handsome, and dashing, and in his uniform, all the island women were in love with him. He was in the German Navy, and was about to take command of what they called a U-Boat, the German submarines. The club that you dance in now was there, even then. But I didn’t meet him there; I met him at the small church that was also in the village. The missionaries had come to this part of the world almost a century before. They changed the ways of the people, but that is another story. I was leaving the services, when Gerhardt came to my side, and asked if he could walk with me. One of the things that the missionaries had brought with them was the gift of the many languages to learn. I had learned several, English and French, as well as a bit of German and Dutch. I was still in the missionaries school, although I was older than most of the girls in the classes. I had such a desire to learn. I had learned to read and write, and I wanted to learn so much more. And then Gerhardt came into my life, and he listened to a simple native girl, and her dreams. And he shared his. He wanted to sail the world in a ship of his own. He wanted wealth, and greatness, and he saw his German Navy as the way to do that. And I soon found that he wanted me. He meant to have me and when I refused, he asked me to marry him. I was thrilled and flattered, and of course, I said yes. The missionaries warned me, my family and friends warned me. But I was and still am in love with him. So we were married, and after a short while, he left. He promised me he would return. He swore an oath. But he never did. Shortly after he left, I found myself carrying his child, your mother. He wrote me several letters, which I kept, but then I received word that he had died, in his submarine, when it was sunk. So when your mother was born, I was with my family again, and she was raised with the love of family even if it was without a father. She never believed that Gerhardt and I were married, no matter what I said or showed her. She grew up a very sad and angry person. She married as soon as she was able, and left the Islands, only to return for your birth. Shortly after you were born, I passed over, and y our mother soon after that. After I passed I found Gerhardt’s soul was not at rest. He was searching for me for many years. And when he found me, he had been unable to let me know that he was near. Our love was a strong bond, and even once I had passed over, he could not accept the lack of human form. He decided hat he needed a form to have life again. The only way to do that was for someone, the ‘right’ one to be near death so that he could replace the spirit, and keep the body alive. It was the wrong thing to do. Gerhardt had to accept his passing over. I refused to have anything to do with his plan. He told me he would find the right body for me, and then he would be able to convince me that his way was the right way. When I saw you, I realized that I had to make the others, friends of the man he had taken over, find him, and you, and end Gerhardt’s plot. That is how you came to be here. I am sorry, child, for the way that things have occurred. I wish I had lived long enough to know you, and prevent your pain and sadness.’

There was time between them, time for each to determine what Lani’s words meant to each of them. Maria had firm ties to the mortal world, and Lani knew that she would safely return there. But Lani was also aware that the girl would need the special help that the Captain of the boat had promised if she was to make a better life for herself…

‘What do I call you? I do not know you, but I should have a name for you…should I call you by your given name? I cannot call you grandmother. I do not know you as that.’

‘As you wish, child,’ was her sad reply. ‘Call me Lani. It is the diminutive of the name given me by your great-great-grandmother. My given name was Leilani, and it means heavenly flower. But she called me Lani, and so I was called all my life.’

‘All right then, Lani, what am I supposed to do? Once I leave here, what am I supposed to do?’

‘It has all been arranged, Child. The Officers of this boat will see to you … you will have a better life… and you will forget Mulayo and the ways and ignorance of the Islands. You will have many things that I did not, and you will have a rich and full life. I must go now, I have finished what I had to do. Your grandfather and your parents are calling me to join them, and I must go… good bye, Maria. Take care, child.’

The soft touch of Lani’s spirit left Maria, and the young woman felt alone. Lani promised her many things… perhaps… just perhaps…’

 

 

One week later, the SSRN Seaview reached her home base in Santa Barbara. The men of the boat had seen much during this last cruise. They also knew what to say to family and friends…they left, relieved that the cruise was over, and friends and family waited…

An ambulance had pulled up to the dock, waiting to transport the Captain of the Boat to the Med Bay of the Institute for several days more supervised recovery, under the careful eye of Will Jamison and his staff. They all knew that the were undertaking a Herculean task to keep the Captain in the Med Bay, but they were also up to that task due to their long experience with Lee Crane. Jamison was concerned with the slight infection in the wound, otherwise, Crane would have been shipped home, out of Jamie’s hair. But the medic wanted to be sure his star patient was completely on the road to recovery before he let him home. Jamison also saw this as a way to keep an eye on Nelson, who though protesting, still was more quiet then usual. It would also give Chip Morton some time to unwind, and hopefully relax, although Jamison also knew that if he knew Morton, he would haunt the Med Center until Crane was released.

Jamison followed the wheelchair with the Captain up the gangway to the dock and to the waiting ambulance. For once, Crane was not grousing about being ‘mother-henned’ by Jamison, an indication that all was not well with the Captain. Jamie knew Lee would eventually let him know what was bothering him, and then he could take some action on it. Maybe the Captain also needed a vacation away from everything at the Institute. He’d have to feel Lee out on that one. Yes, a vacation….

On the deck of the boat, Nelson and Morton stood with Maria. The young woman was wearing simple slacks and a blouse that Nelson had flown in from the Institute. He had phoned his Executive Assistant, Cathy Connors, and had her do some shopping for the young woman, along with making some arrangements. Maria would be staying on at the Institute in one of the Apartments. Nelson had arranged for some job training and schooling, so that she would be able to begin to go on with a better life. Chip had volunteered to show her around the grounds, and begin to get her settled in her new life. Nelson had given the Exec the time to do that, and promised to check in with her in a day or so. With that, Chip escorted her up the gangway to a waiting car. Nelson stood and watched as they drove off, and he turned.

A soft breeze touched his face….He turned toward it, cocking his head in the direction of the warmth. ‘Thank you…Admiral Nelson…thank you…’

He shook his head, convinced that he had heard a voice, and listened again… hoping to hear… All he heard was the soft lapping of the water against the side of the boat. Shaking his head at the idea of hearing a voice, he shrugged, and moved back to the sail… pausing at the hatch, he looked up.

"You’re welcome, Lani. Very welcome!"

 

                            Another ending to the Return of the Phantom

 

 

 

 

 

 

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