“The Last Lap of Luxury”

 

Directed by: Bryan Spicer

Written by: Zora Quayton

 

Summary: At the first UEO summit in two years, being held at a new underwater facility, Lucas vanishes along with a group of UEO leaders whilst talking to them about technological advances. When it turns out that they have been taken hostage, the seaQuest crew searches for them and begins to unravel a complicated and mysterious plot, which includes the Secretary General herself.  With the crew tricking the public into believing the hostages are not being held hostage, Bridger finds himself trying to save the hostages before they all drown.

 

Guest Starring:

Bonnie Bartlett           as       Secretary General Andrea Dre

James Shigeta           as       President Hoi Chi

Hank Stratton            as       Richard Maxwell

Carl Lumbly               as       Alan Lamm

Richard Herd             as       Admiral William Noyce

 

Co-Starring:

Fima Noveck             as       Confederate head

Dian Kobayashi          as       head #2

H. M. Wynant            as       head #3

Paul Napier               as       head #4

Patricia Forte             as       head #5

Leon Morenzie           as       General

 

Featuring:

Dave Fennoy             as       reporter #1

Lucy Lin                   as       reporter #2

Hannah Sussman       as       reporter #3

Rod Britt                  as       reporter #4

Dale Swann               as       UEO Police Officer

Anthony Winters        as       Color Guard

 

 

 

The twenty-first century ... Mankind has colonized the last unexplored region on Earth – the ocean. As Captain of the seaQuest and its crew, we are its guardians; for beneath the surface, lies the future.

 

 

 

 - seaQuest DSV, Bridger’s room -

Nathan Bridger: Hey, Bill, do I come into your house and mess around with your stuff?

William Noyce: SeaQuest isn’t your house, Nathan. Magnificent obsession maybe, but it's not your house.

Nathan Bridger: It's not a parade float, either. Look, Secretary Dre wants to go to a summit meeting, fine. Why do we have to be the escort? Why don’t they use that billion-dollar supersonic sky wagon, that one with the motion picture theater in it? They can watch Lawrence of Arabia, get there before intermission.

William Noyce: (laughs) Dre is Lawrence of Arabia.

Nathan Bridger: Dre is a politician.

William Noyce: Secretary General Dre is the head of UEO, in other words, our boss. I thought you liked Dre.

Nathan Bridger: I do, like I like opera. I like to listen to it, I don’t like to watch it.

William Noyce: You’re driving me nuts. What’d you get this one for? Advanced attitude training?

Nathan Bridger: You know what the operational costs are for a trip like this?

William Noyce: Sure, I know what they cost. So does Secretary Dre. Dre signs the checks.

Nathan Bridger: It's an unnecessary expenditure and it comes out of my science budget. It’s a flag-waving contest to see who gets to draw the map of the world or drill for oil in some God-forsaken desert. You know why I hate deserts?

William Noyce: No, why?

Nathan Bridger: They used to be oceans.

William Noyce: You know, this is the first UEO summit in two years. They were supposed to have one every six months but it took the UEO that long to decide on a location.

Nathan Bridger: Do you mind?

William Noyce: Oh, sorry, Nathan.

Nathan Bridger: These are the same guys who used to hand out baseball franchises.

William Noyce: SeaQuest is the pride of UEO. Dre wants to make an entrance and we’re part of that.

Nathan Bridger: I’m not gonna have to sing the national anthem, am I?

William Noyce: You may. You know, I have known Dre since when–

Nathan Bridger: Oh, please, I’ve heard this story a hundred times. The day you skipped summer school and went to Woodstock.  Dre picked you up while you were hitchhiking and you went to the concert together.

William Noyce: Yeah, the last great rock concert.

Nathan Bridger: I don’t know, I was only eight. And when it came to rock and roll, I was a U2 man anyway.

William Noyce: (leaving the room, Bridger following) A derivative rock band at best.  They couldn’t pack the Who’s lunch.

Nathan Bridger: Oh, give me a break.

 

 - Caribbean Sea, underneath Mondial Resort -

Alan Lamm: (on screen) How are we doing?

Richard Maxwell: It’s going well.

Alan Lamm: (on screen) I don’t want to hear that it’s going well, I want to know if it works. I built this whole resort just to host the UEO summit. I am activating in three.

Richard Maxwell: We should clear the men first, Alan.

Alan Lamm: (on screen) Not if it works. And three. (resort shakes) It didn’t work. I suggest you fix it.

 

Man’s struggle for cultural identity has bloodied the global landscape for millennia.  Nations rise and fall, shattered by tribalism. Borders expand and contract by the dictates of military power, and ancestral piety. The fight for land rages on, but now the oceans have become the last unclaimed territories. Man’s race into the seas to harvest it’s riches of food and minerals brings new conflicts, and a new alliance of nations to deal with it. But old power does not give way easily to new order, and the mandate of the United Earth/Oceans Organization to maintain peace is about to be tested at its highest level.

 

 - sea launch on final approach to seaQuest DSV docking bay -

Pilot: (on radio) Glide path shift. We're docking level three. Retract float panels port and starboard. Switch to visual for final entry.

 

 - seaQuest DSV, launch bay -

Manilow Crocker: (Noyce and Bridger enter) Admiral on deck.

Jonathan Ford: Launch is docked, sir.

Nathan Bridger: Thank you. Look at me, Charlie Tuna, chauffeur of the sea.

William Noyce: Would you relax, Dre likes you.

Nathan Bridger: Mmm hmm.

Manilow Crocker: Detail, ten hut.

Andrea Dre: (exits launch) Isn’t anybody in this place going to offer me a cup of coffee?

Manilow Crocker: (all laugh) Detail, parade hut.

Andrea Dre: Hah hah, Billy.

William Noyce: It’s so good to see you.

Andrea Dre: It’s so good to see you. Graduating first in class pays off, doesn’t it Commander Ford? (shakes hands) Congratulations.

Jonathan Ford: Thank you, ma’am.

Andrea Dre: Nathan, you look gorgeous. I see they’ve got you wearing shoes again. I’m glad.

Nathan Bridger: Thank you Madam Secretary.

Andrea Dre: And thank you for giving me a lift.

William Noyce: We’ve been looking forward to it, Andrea.

Andrea Dre: Now, what’ll it take to get us there in time for dinner?

Nathan Bridger: About two million dollars, Madam Secretary.

Andrea Dre: Oh, relax, I’ll charge it off to the space program.

Nathan Bridger: Commander, what’s our ETA?

Jonathan Ford: Seventeen hundred hours, sir.

Andrea Dre: Amazing, that’s nearly two hundred miles an hour. And to think I lobbied against this project in the first place.

Nathan Bridger: I remember, Madam Secretary.

Andrea Dre: But Nathan, it was your presentation that turned me around. Eight hours to the Middle Americas, that is fantastic. And it’ll give you plenty of time to show me around the ship.

Nathan Bridger: Wouldn’t you just rather rest before the summit?

Andrea Dre: (walking off down the hall with Bridger and Noyce) Don’t be silly. You see, this summit is taking place in an undersea resort. We’re part of the grand opening. If we didn’t have to set world policy, I would’ve brought my scuba gear.  Now, Nathan, I want you to show me what you’ve been spending all that UEO research money on.

 

 - seaQuest DSV, sea deck, by the moon pool -

Nathan Bridger: Is that working, Doctor?

Kristin Westphalen: Of course.

William Noyce: Wait’ll you see this.

Andrea Dre: I am. Maybe you should show me another of the seaQuest’s accomplishments.

Nathan Bridger: No, no, no, let’s wait, it’s worth it, I assure you.

Kristin Westphalen: Here he comes.

Lucas Wolenczak: (jumps up, throws sponge at clock) Woah oh, it’s up, it’s good.  Dolphins win. (notices group) Am I missing something here?

Nathan Bridger: Yes, Darwin.

Lucas Wolenczak: I’ll get him. (swims off)

Andrea Dre: Who was that?

Nathan Bridger: Stowaway.

Darwin: Darwin, Lucas, play football.

Andrea Dre: That’s unbelievable. Unbelievable.

Nathan Bridger: You can explain this.

Lucas Wolenczak: Yeah, we were in sudden death overtime, Captain.

Nathan Bridger: I see. Beat it.

Kristin Westphalen: Darwin represents the first real breakthrough in inter-species communication.

Nathan Bridger: He sorta falls in that gray area between God and science, wouldn’t you say?

Andrea Dre: Can I take Darwin with me to the summit?

Darwin: Yes, Darwin go.

Nathan Bridger: Well, he has a peculiar personality, a different beneficence. We don’t want to put him on parade to, uh...

Andrea Dre: To further our own political needs?

Nathan Bridger: In so many words, yes.

Andrea Dre: I couldn’t agree more. Doctor, I would like you to speak to the confederation about your work.

Kristin Westphalen: Actually, I’m not responsible for Darwin’s speech.

Andrea Dre: Well, then, who is responsible? (Bridger looks uncomfortable)

 

 - seaQuest DSV, Lucas’s room -

Nathan Bridger: (enters with Dre) Lucas. (taps Lucas on shoulder, Lucas turns music off) Lucas, I‘d like you to–

Andrea Dre: Captain, let’s just keep this informal shall we. So, you’re a musician too?

Lucas Wolenczak: Kinda more of a scientist.

Andrea Dre: Well that music you’re playing was very different. Is it original?

Lucas Wolenczak: No, no, I’ve just made a computer search of the best rock and roll samples of the last fifty years and listed them in digital sequence. The computer here selects a sound byte and transmits it to the synthesizer, and makes the best choice for the next needed piece of music, randomly composing a never heard before rock song, played by all the greats. It’s pretty cool, I’ve got, uh, Les Paul playing with the Stones and the Spin Doctors, even some DMZ outta Saigon.

Nathan Bridger: What about the viral sweep of the mainframe you were working on?

Lucas Wolenczak: I’m workin’ on it.

Nathan Bridger: Uh huh.

Andrea Dre: Would you, uh, play something for me, right now?

Lucas Wolenczak: Uh, it’s still a little experimental.

Andrea Dre: Oh, come on, I was at Woodstock.

Lucas Wolenczak: That was the turning point of the Vietnam War, wasn’t it?

Nathan Bridger: Lucas, just play the lady a song.

Lucas Wolenczak: Right. (plays music, speaker blows out) Still a little experimental.

Andrea Dre: Oh, well, it’s all right. You know, failure breeds solution. I’m Andrea Dre, and you Lucas, are an impressive young man.

Lucas Wolenczak: Secretary General Andrea Dre, I didn’t know you were on board.

Andrea Dre: I’d like you to come with me to the UEO Summit.

Lucas Wolenczak: What?

Nathan Bridger: The confederations are having a summit meeting, to discuss world policy.

Lucas Wolenczak: Oh.

Andrea Dre: You don’t wanna come?

Lucas Wolenczak: Well it kinda sounds like going shopping with your parents.

Andrea Dre: Well maybe you’d rather be doing that viral sweep of the mainframe?

Lucas Wolenczak: (looks at Bridger, Bridger shrugs) Give me five minutes and I’ll pack.

 

 - Mondial Resort, Lamm’s office -

Alan Lamm: (picks up phone) They are arriving. Are we ready Richard?

Richard Maxwell: (under resort) Yes.

Alan Lamm: Put security on alert.

 

 - Mondial Resort, conference room -

Darwin: (on screen) ...universe home for world. We are universe. (screen goes blank, all clap)

Andrea Dre: Well, that was Darwin. And now, to tell you more about this phenomenon, the man behind one of seaQuest’s proudest accomplishments, Lucas Wolenczak.

Nathan Bridger: (to Lucas) Guess you’ll have to say something.

Lucas Wolenczak: Oh, great. (walks over to microphone) Well, inter-species communication is clearly a new frontier. (Bridger points to mouth, Lucas puts gum under table, Bridger cringes) Uh, well when I began working on this project – (speaker repeats in another language) Uh, (laughs) sorry about that. Um, let me figure this out.

Andrea Dre: I need to talk to you. (points to door)

Lucas Wolenczak: I'm here to talk about dolphins. (speaker repeats in another language) What language is this? Just a ... just a second. (looks at Bridger, Bridger shrugs and leaves room) Can someone turn this thing off?

Andrea Dre: Some of the unaffiliated regions have gone on military alert.

Nathan Bridger: What?

Andrea Dre: I got a call from a northwestern outpost just before the summit started. I didn’t want to say anything until we verified it.

William Noyce: Why would they go on alert?

Andrea Dre: Possibly to disrupt the summit.

Alan Lamm: (in office, picks up phone) It’s time.

Lucas Wolenczak: (in conference room) We found that the tendencies when working with higher life-forms is to be a bit, anthropomorphic. Attaching human characteristics to the behavior ... of animals. (resort shakes)

Nathan Bridger: What’s that? (door opens, Bridger, Dre, and Noyce enter empty conference room)

Andrea Dre: Oh my God.

William Noyce: Where did they go?

Nathan Bridger: I don’t know.

 

 - Mondial Resort, outside the conference room -

Nathan Bridger: Let’s have some security for the Secretary, around all her rooms and on the floors above and below. All right?

Color Guard: Yes, sir. (leaves with Dre)

Katie Hitchcock: (coming over) What happened?

Nathan Bridger: Good question. Get me a vid-link to the seaQuest.

Katie Hitchcock: Where’s Lucas?

Nathan Bridger: That’s another good question.

 

 - outside Mondial Resort, press conference -

Reporter #5: Mr. Lamm, was there an earthquake?

Reporter #6: What’s happening?

Reporter #7: What’s going on?

Alan Lamm: As with any new facility, these incidents, although unfortunate, have to be expected. The Mondial Resort is a state-of-the-art complex. Sometimes, you don’t know if the toaster oven works until you plug it in.

Reporter #1: So this has nothing to do with the UEO Summit?

Alan Lamm: Of course not.

Reporter #2: Mr. Lamm, does terrorism present a concern? Could this have been an attempt to disrupt the summit?

Alan Lamm: It was a malfunction of our environmental control systems.

Reporter #3: So sabotage isn’t a consideration?

Alan Lamm: No, but your rooms might be a bit warm until we get the air conditioning back on.

UEO Security: Ladies and gentlemen, please, security isn’t a concern. I assure you, the summit will continue as scheduled.

Reporter #4: We've heard a number of unaffiliated confederations have gone on military alert.

Alan Lamm: I’m a business man. You’ll have to ask Secretary Dre. Excuse me, please.

 

 - Mondial Resort, hallway -

Nathan Bridger: (Lamm exits elevator, Bridger comes over) Mr. Lamm, Captain Bridger.

Alan Lamm: Yes, sir.

Nathan Bridger: Do you have any idea what’s happening here?

Alan Lamm: I wish I knew.

Nathan Bridger: But this is your resort. People are disappearing from your conference rooms.

Alan Lamm: That much I know, Captain. This is hardly the kind of incident I want associated with the grand opening of a billion dollar resort.

Nathan Bridger: Well I’m sure it isn’t, but, uh, we have to find them. Now, I’d like to see the blueprints for this entire complex.

Alan Lamm: I can’t do that. My complex is based on revolutionary principles in undersea architecture. It is not for public review.

Nathan Bridger: I see. Well, either I see the blueprints, or we’ll have to investigate you personally. And I don’t think that’s something you want to read in the travel section of the Sunday paper. Make the call, Mr. Lamm. (enters elevator)

Guy: (Lamm pulls out phone) Yes, sir.

Alan Lamm: Get Captain Bridger the blueprints. And leak it to the press that the UEO leadership is missing.

 

 - Mondial Resort, conference room -

Andrea Dre: (enters) I’ve put the UEO military on global alert.

Nathan Bridger: Isn’t that a bit premature, Madame Secretary?

William Noyce: Nathan, Andrea’s already told us that some of the unaffiliated regions have already gone on military maneuvers.

Nathan Bridger: I understand that, but if the UEO goes into a crisis mode, it only encourages them to increase their activity.

Andrea Dre: Our satellites have observed at least two more unaffiliated regions operating military maneuvers.

Nathan Bridger: But how do they know what’s going on here?

Andrea Dre: Look, I’m the head of the UEO, and my responsibilities are to keep world peace. I’m not gonna cover this up.

Nathan Bridger: But we don’t know what’s going on here. We don’t even have the bigger picture.

Andrea Dre: I’m going to take whatever steps necessary to ensure world order.

Nathan Bridger: Order is not going to be served by telling everybody that we’ve misplaced the world leadership.

Andrea Dre: I won’t debate this.

William Noyce: Andrea, Captain Bridger just wants you to explain your strategy.

Andrea Dre: I have no strategy. I have eight confederation heads missing.

Nathan Bridger: And one sixteen year old boy.

 

 - underneath Mondial Resort, conference room -

Alan Lamm: (on screen) I'm sure you are all confused, and somewhat frightened.  But let me assure you that you are safe ... for now. At the appropriate time, each of you will sign an amended UEO Constitution detailing trade agreements and free enterprise. (books come out from under screen) The confederations will be re-aligned to support the former world economic opportunities, allowing industry to function, without current UEO restraint.

Hoi Chi: And if we don’t?

Alan Lamm: (on screen) Than you can stay down there, President Chi. No one knows where you are. (screen goes blank)

 

 - Mondial Resort, conference room -

UEO Security: All readings are normal, sir, can’t find anything. They seem to have just disappeared.

Nathan Bridger: Thank you. I want everyone out of this room. You can post some guards at the entrance.

UEO Security: Yes, sir. We’re done here, everyone out. Smith, Williams, place a guard unit at the door.

Soldier: Right away, sir.

Katie Hitchcock: Vid-link is operational, sir, and there is a channel secured.

 

 - seaQuest DSV, ward room -

Nathan Bridger: (on screen) I want the entire resort complex searched within a fifty-mile radius above and below the surface. Doctor, try to determine if the geology had anything to do with the explosion.

Kristin Westphalen: Right.

Jonathan Ford: What’s going on, sir?

Nathan Bridger: (on screen) We seem to be in the process of manufacturing an international crisis. (screen goes blank)

Jonathan Ford: Stage five alert. Activate laser and infrared sensors at standard HL norms. All sonar systems operational, spec range, fifty miles.

Manilow Crocker: What are we looking for, Commander?

Jonathan Ford: We’re lookin’ for Lucas.

Manilow Crocker: Aye, sir. (leaves)

 

 - underneath Mondial Resort, conference room -

Lucas Wolenczak: Do you see that? Look at that. That’s condensation, it forms in a closed environment from the moisture in our systems when we exhale. You know, kinda like when a car windows fog up during the winter.

Head #5: What are you trying to say?

Lucas Wolenczak: I don’t think we’re connected to the ventilation system any more.  Take a look at this. (opens blinds, heads amazed to see rock) I think we’re somewhere, under the resort.

 

 - Mondial Resort, conference room -

Andrea Dre: (enters) Rumors are running through the press, the confederation’s leadership is missing. There’s a press conference scheduled in two hours, if we can’t produce them by then, I’ve gotta prepare a statement. Call Washington, notify the President.

William Noyce: (as Dre leaves) Yes, Madame Secretary. You want in on this?

Nathan Bridger: No, no, that’s your job, and the boss's.

William Noyce: You’re doing the best you can, Nathan.

Nathan Bridger: So far, it ain’t enough, is it?

William Noyce: Hello, General.

General: (on screen) We have no information to support any unaffiliated regions going on alert, Admiral. Fact is, the only regions going on alert are in response to what’s happening at the summit.

William Noyce: How bad is it?

General: (on screen) It’s getting critical. I don’t know who let this fly out of the jar, but we’ve got red lights flashing everywhere.

William Noyce: How are the UEO confederations?

General: (on screen) As confused as the rest of us. But they’ll stay in place a lot longer than the unaffiliates, but you have to find their leaders. The confederations aren’t going to stay rudderless for long.

William Noyce: Thank you, General. (screen goes blank)

Nathan Bridger: Nobody disappeared from here.

William Noyce: What?

Nathan Bridger: This is a different room.

William Noyce: How could that be?

Nathan Bridger: Remember Lucas’s gum? He put it under the podium before he started to speak.

William Noyce: So?

Nathan Bridger: The gum isn’t there. This is a different room.

 

 - Mondial Resort, conference room, later -

Andrea Dre: Are you saying that this gum is some kind of a clue?

Nathan Bridger: Lucas put it there, now it’s gone. It’s a different table, it’s a different room.

Andrea Dre: Are you crazy? I can’t announce that to the world. Nathan, the press is lurking outside the door like jackals. They wanna see the leadership. I have to tell the world community that no matter what tragedy has occurred here, reasonable people are still in control.

Nathan Bridger: We’re moving too fast.

Andrea Dre: Fast is all we have. I’m not gonna sit on my hands while the UEO goes to hell in a handbasket.

Nathan Bridger: But no matter what you tell them it’s just throwing oil on the fire.

William Noyce: Why do you have to say anything? Can’t you buy us some time?

Andrea Dre: All right. All right, I’ll do my best to stall. There’s a press conference scheduled in less than two hours. I’ll give you that time, but if you don’t have this thing figured out by then, I’m gonna have to speak to them. (leaves and begins speaking to press outside as doors close behind her) Ladies and gentlemen, everything is fine, I promise you.

Nathan Bridger: We shouldn’t be worrying about the press, we should be worrying about what caused this. Something that Secretary Dre doesn’t seem to be interested in.

 

 - underneath Mondial Resort, conference room -

Hoi Chi: Fine words and a proud appearance are seldom associated with true virtue.

Lucas Wolenczak: Confucius said that.

Hoi Chi: It seems appropriate now, doesn’t it?

Lucas Wolenczak: Guys like that are never happy if they’re not arguing about something.

Hoi Chi: You making a compass?

Lucas Wolenczak: Yeah, I need to know which way is east.

Hoi Chi: Why?

Lucas Wolenczak: The seaQuest is to the east. I’m gonna send them a signal.

Hoi Chi: You think the seaQuest will hear us?

Lucas Wolenczak: They should. (drops paper clip in water) Yeah. I need a power source. Vid-link is the only one in the room.

Hoi Chi: Be my guest.

 

 - seaQuest DSV, ward room -

Nathan Bridger: (on screen) Kristin, is there any geological explanation for that explosion?

Kristin Westphalen: No, there’s zero evidence of a natural disturbance. Whatever it was was probably generated from within the hotel. But WSKRS have sent back sonar indicating a substantial subsurface manmade tunnel.

Nathan Bridger: (on screen) I bet that’s not in the original blueprints. Chief, send out Darwin, tell him to “listen to the mountain.” Use just those words, “listen to the mountain.”

Manilow Crocker: “Listen to the mountain,” aye, Cap. (leaves)

Nathan Bridger: (on screen) Listen, we’ve got a time problem here. These people are holding a press conference in two hours. Mr. O’Neill.

Tim O’Neill: Yes, sir.

Nathan Bridger: (on screen) I want you to be very good and very quick at computer imaging.

Tim O’Neill: I understand, sir. (leaves)

 

 - Mondial Resort, Lamm’s office -

Alan Lamm: The vid-link’s down.

Richard Maxwell: It was fine an hour ago.

Alan Lamm: They’re trying to communicate with the outside world.

Richard Maxwell: Can they do that?

Alan Lamm: They’re middle aged, second-tier bureaucrats, they haven’t opened a door for themselves in a decade.

 

 - underneath Mondial Resort, conference room -

Lucas Wolenczak: (puts tape in Walkman) Let’s rock. (pushes play)

 

 - seaQuest DSV, bridge -

Tim O’Neill: Got him. There’s another confederation president. That’s everybody except Lucas.

Jonathan Ford: There.

Tim O'Neill: Good.

Jonathan Ford: I’m gonna open the uplink to the satellite. Uplink is five seconds away, O’Neill, let’s go.

Tim O’Neill: I’m not ready yet.

Jonathan Ford: We don’t have a choice.

 

 - Mondial Resort, conference room -

Andrea Dre: (enters) Nathan, I can’t vamp any longer, I have to talk to the press.

Nathan Bridger: I think we can buy some more time.

Andrea Dre: There’s no more time to buy.

Nathan Bridger: But in moments we might be able to buy hours.

Andrea Dre: I’d like that as much as you.

William Noyce: Please —

Andrea Dre: Billy, as of this moment, the UEO is under martial law.

Jonathan Ford: (on screen) Sir, ready.

Nathan Bridger: Do it, Commander.

Andrea Dre: What’s going on?

Nathan Bridger: (screen changes to show Lucas giving confederation heads a tour of the seaQuest) The world leaders aren’t missing, they’re aboard the seaQuest, taking time out from their deliberations to, uh, tour the flagship.

Andrea Dre: (incredulously) Well how the hell did they get there?

Nathan Bridger: Computer imaging, and it’s a direct satellite link to EarthCast News.

Andrea Dre: You’ve put me in an untenable position, Nathan.

Nathan Bridger: How’s that?

Andrea Dre: (thinks) Of course, you’re right. You’re right, this buys us lots of time, doesn’t it? It’s ingenious, good job Nathan. (leaves and begins speaking to press outside as doors close behind her) Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience. I'll make a statement shortly.

Nathan Bridger: Distress where there should be relief. Billy, I think she may be a traitor.

 

 - Mondial Resort, conference room, later -

Nathan Bridger: Got to be Dre leaking all this, the press conference, all of it. She tells them the world leaders are missing, and then institutes new policy.

William Noyce: But whose policy?

Nathan Bridger: Hers ... or her cronies’. This guy, Lamm, a multibillionaire, made all his money profiteering before the UEO peace. I think he wants those days back again.

Katie Hitchcock: Excuse me, but how does Dre fit into all this?

Nathan Bridger: That you have to ask the Admiral.

William Noyce: I ... I suppose she’s a political dinosaur, a leftover from when the world was run by money launderers, lobbyists. If she is involved, she’s been involved for a long time. Lamm built this resort to hold the summit. This grand opening, the disappearing room, everything.

Nathan Bridger: Grand opening my foot. She appears to be the calm one and rewrites the constitution. Bill, you’ve always known she was a politician.

William Noyce: If we prove this, the UEO’ll impeach her. You think they’re still alive?

Nathan Bridger: I hope so.

William Noyce: But why would she want Lucas?

Nathan Bridger: Well with Lucas she’s got leverage over the seaQuest.

 

 - Mondial Resort, Lamm’s office -

Andrea Dre: We have to purge the leadership. They should wash up on shore. They’ve got to be seen dead, not marching around on the seaQuest. We’ve got to go public with a leadership vacuum that'll shake the UEO to its core.

Alan Lamm: We’re prepared for that option. Dial up the schematic. (underneath Mondial, water rushes into the conference room, the leaders panic)

 

 - seaQuest DSV, bridge -

Jonathan Ford: Captain, we’ve been canvassing a maximum scan in all directions.  Life-forms with HL norms have all been negative.

Nathan Bridger: (on screen) Can you get any closer to the resort?

Jonathan Ford: Not until we make a complete sweep. The entire area has been heavily mined. Metallically activated hydrogen tonnage. It would take us days.

Nathan Bridger: (on screen) Have Crocker bring over some security immediately. (screen goes blank)

 

 - sea launch leaving the seaQuest -

Manilow Crocker: (into speaker) ETA five minutes, Captain.

 

 - seaQuest DSV, sea deck -

Darwin: Lucas music. (nearby, Westphalen hears, thinks for a second then leaves)

 

 - seaQuest DSV, bridge -

Kristin Westphalen: Nathan, Darwin came back. He said “Lucas music.” That’s all, “Lucas music.”

Nathan Bridger: (on screen) Hmm. (thinks) Put all sonar on sound scan, and program our WSKRS to the high end frequency.

Jonathan Ford: What are we listening for, sir?

Nathan Bridger: (on screen) Rock and roll, Commander.

 

 - Mondial Resort, Lamm’s office -

Andrea Dre: Announce an emergency press conference immediately. When returning from the seaQuest, the launch sank. The leaders of the confederations were tragically lost at sea. (leaves)

 

 - seaQuest DSV, bridge -

Tim O’Neill: I’ve got s