Author's notes: Wow, never thought I'd be writing for this fandom. But when the kittens bite, one must follow through if possible! This is AU; as in, I am keeping the first season crew. Many thanks to my Questie girls Darkin and Giry from the RLT forum for answering all my little questions. Also to Cam and Darkin for beta services rendered, and especially Cam for being my sounding board!

Rating: T, but be warned that there is some physical violence (not graphic) in later chapters.

Legal B.S.: seaQuest DSV and all its canon factors are copyrighted to Rockne O'Bannon and NBC. I'm just a longtime devoted fan. (And I mean that literally...oh, the fond memories of teenage me fighting my mom for the remote on Sunday nights, LOL)

The Hand of Wrath
by Cheile

Prologue

2019
Reseda, California

"...if you're just joining us, we're live at the UEO Summit at Pearl Harbor, where Dr. Kristin Westphalen of the seaQuest has just accepted her award for developing a new cardiac medication from lionfish venom. We will also be live tonight at the summit banquet. It's black tie and rumor has it that famous designer Sakuya Firenze's creations will be worn, so all you fashion aficionados will have plenty to talk about on the Internex tomorrow morning..."

Cold blue eyes glared at the television as the image cut back from the perky male reporter towards the stage. Secretary General William Noyce was giving a hand to the person descending the stage steps, a trim, auburn-haired woman clad in a simple, but flattering black dress. She smiled at him in thanks and stepped down, returning to her seat next to a slender man with gray hair. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders for a quick hug, causing a slight blush to rise in her cheeks.

The image returned to the reporter, who began to talk about the other award winners and their accolades. Picking up the remote, Len stabbed the mute button.

"'Research'...I'm sure the pretty little doctor has been doing more than one kind of 'research'...and not just with the fish..."

The rant trailed off into silence, attention turning instead to a digital photo frame on the end table next to the remote. The current image showed a forty-something blond woman. She was wearing a Navy dress uniform and was standing at attention underneath a dogwood tree in full bloom. Her severe pose was softened by the bright smile on her face.

"That should have been you up there, baby," Len sighed, caressing the screen. A glance back at the television showed that the ceremony had ended and people were leaving, including the seaQuest crew.

Len's eyes narrowed again. "But don't worry. The UEO may have let them get away with murder, but I won't..."