Nathan Bridger settled back into the captain's chair. Around him, the bridge quietly surged with life. There was no unusual excitement, so to speak, and it was more or less business as usual aboard the seaQuest.

As was sometimes the case when things were calm, Bridger allowed his mind to wander away from his current task. His first thoughts were of Carol and Robert, memories of days long past. It was not long, however, before those thoughts turned to the present and someone else. Bridger had to laugh at himself at the content of these thoughts, and he felt desire course through his
body.

Finally, Bridger couldn't stand it any longer.

"Commander."

"Sir," Ford crossed to stand near Bridger.

"You have the bridge. I'll be on Seadeck if you need me."

"Aye, sir." Ford watched his captain leave the bridge before sitting down in the recently vacated chair. I wonder what caused that silly grin on his face.

Kristin Westphalen sighed and turned around, leaning against the table where she was working. "At this rate, I'm never going to get anything done," she murmured quietly to herself.

Last night Kristin had been particularly tired when she went to bed, and her dreams had been unusually vivid. Unfortunately, her overactive imagination had spilled over into the day, and she was having trouble concentrating on any of her work. Instead of thinking about the reproductive abilities of some poisonous bacteria, Kristin was thinking of the reproductive activities of humans. Actually, it was one certain someone's reproductive organs and what she wished he was doing with her at the moment.

Maybe if I worked on something not having to do with reproduction I could get something done. Kristin decided anything would be better than her current situation, and put a young crewman to work finishing the observation.

Ten minutes later, Kristin wandered into Medbay. She stopped to check with the nurse on duty and see if there was anything requiring her immediate attention. With nothing pressing to tend to, she left instructions that she would be in her office doing paperwork, and not to be disturbed unless it was an emergency.

Kristin then headed for her office, confused by the smile on the nurse's face after her announcement. As she neared the door, however, all thoughts of the nurse disappeared as Kristin noticed the man in her office.

Nathan Bridger was standing by the wall, looking at one of her framed diplomas, intently studying it when she entered.

"Captain."

He turned around, startled by her entrance. "Doctor," he smiled. "They told me on Seadeck you had left, so I hoped I would find you here."

Kristin closed the door behind her, listening to it click before replying. "Well you found me. To what do I owe this visit?"

"Something has been bothering me lately, and I was hoping you could help me with it."

"I'm not much of a psychiatrist, but I can try to help," she sat down behind her desk. "What's on your mind?"

Nathan perched himself, half-leaning against her desk, facing her. "I've been having some disturbing dreams that have increased in frequency as of late."

She leaned back and steepled her fingers in thought. "And what is the topic of these dreams, or do I not want to know?"

"They tend to revolve around a certain... member of the opposite sex."

"And what do you plan to do about this?"

"I'm not sure. I have been considering telling the person in question, but I'm not sure how to broach the subject. What do you suggest, Doctor?"

Kristin abruptly stood and walked over to the window overlooking Medbay. "I too have been having similar dreams lately."

"And what do you intend to do about these dreams?"

She pulled the shade down, blocking the window and making the room very dim. "I intend to remedy the situation."

Acting on a hunch, Nathan rose and crossed the room so he was standing next to her. "And how do you plan to do that?"

"Come now, Captain, do I really need to explain it to you?"

"Refresh my memory."
 
 

And the rest is left to the reader...