Author's Note: The following is a FanFic for the Round Robin B-Day Stories (organize by Betsy for the seaQuest mailing list). All standard disclaimers apply to this story. If you don't want it, please delete now (but you'll miss some great laughs if you do). This is Wendy's "tragic" birthday story - Nibor (lquinto@rohan.sdsu.edu) . ****** Below the crashing waves, Dr. Wendy Smith worked diligently in her room updating medical files on the computer. Sipping some cold, synthetic coffee since the price of the real suff had sky rocketed, Wendy glanced up to the clock above the doorway. "1953," the digital clock flashed back. Only two more Med-files, Lucas's and Seaman Irish's, were left. With a chuckle, she typed in "Minor Allergic Reaction" into Lucas's Med-file instead of typing that the young, inexperienced computer whiz had come down with a bad case of "mono." A sudden knocking at the door jarred Wendy out of her chuckle. "It's open," Wendy shouted out to the unknown visitor and started on Seaman Irish's file. The cabin door swung open just enough for Loni Henderson to poke her head through. "I didn't mean to disturb you," worried the young ensign, seeing that Wendy was busy at the computer. "It's okay, I'm almost finished," Wendy reassured and waved Loni to come in. "So what can I do for you, Loni?" "I was wondering if you had any aspirin," Loni asked as her face contorted with pain. "I've got this splitting headache." "There's some Advil and a bottle of water in my night stand," Wendy answered, motioning to the night stand next to her bed. Wendy watched as Loni hurried over to the lumpy bed and sat down with a huff as she opened up the top drawer in search of relief. "You know, I find that two Advils are better than two tablets of Tylenol or Excedrin." "Really? I didn't know that," Loni answered as she rummaged through the various odds and ends in the drawer. As soon as she found the bottle, she popped two Advils into her mouth and took a couple sips from the bottled water. Wendy logged out of the computer after typing in Irish's broken leg into his Med-file. Standing up, she straighten her dress. She hadn't eaten all day and she was eager just to sit down and have something to eat. "Mmmmm... A turkey sandwich would taste great right about now. Loni, did you eat all ready?" "I ate dinner with Piccolo. That's why I needed the Aspirin!" Loni said sarcastically. Getting up from the lumpy bed, Loni made a bee line for the door as a giggling Wendy held it open. "Why don't I walk with you to the mess?" she asked as the both of them started down the busy hallway. "It's okay. You really don't..." Wendy protested. "It's on my way. I'm suppose to meet Piccolo and Tim in the lounge to watch a movie, anyways," Loni insisted. "Did I hear my name?" Piccolo interrupted from behind. "You two aren't fighting over me again 'cause there's enough of me to go around." He quickly flashed the two a a wide grin. "Oh, grow up Mackerel-Face!" Loni retorted and punched him in the shoulder. "Hey! I was just kidding. Can't You take a joke?" Piccolo complained as he rubbed his bruised shoulder. Loni had hit him just a little too hard. "So what movie are you guys going to see?" Wendy inquired just to make small talk as the three of them strolled through the cluttered hallway. Loni answered, "'The Crying Game' It's suppose to be a classic." A smirk grew on Piccolo's face. "Yeah, there's suppose to be this hot looking chick in it!" Like a small TV set switching on in Wendy's head, an image of her and Loni dressed in nothing but chocolate syrup flashed in her head. Like most psychics, Wendy had no control of occasionally picking up stray thoughts and feelings from people around her. The psychic impression was obviously one of Piccolo's sick chocolate fantasies. Trying to get the perverted picture out of her head, Wendy asked, "Isn't that the movie where..." Another picture of them dressed not in chocolate syrup but in black leather with chains interrupted her train of thought. Suddenly, a grin spread across Wendy's face. "Um... Yeah, Tony, I heard the woman *is* quite attractive!" She couldn't stop grinning at the sight of Piccolo with his mouth dropping to the floor when he discovers that the "hot looking chick" is really a *man*. "Oh, I forgot to wish you a happy birthday!" Loni broke in. "Yeah, happy birthday, Doc," Piccolo added. "Thanks, I'm glad you guys didn't make such a big fuss this year," Wendy said appreciatively. "I know what you mean. All these birthday surprises have gotten way out of control," Loni added. "Well, it's hard to beat last year's with The Avatar of Your Dreams," Piccolo joked. "I don't think any birthday can come close to that one," Loni laughed just as Commander Ford rounded the corner and surprised the laughing trio. Wendy could see the urgency in Commander Ford's face. He definitely meant business. "I'm glad I caught you, Wendy. I was about to call you on the PAL-Com. We just received an urgent message from Rohan Colony. There may be a new outbreak of Hasbola. Captain Bridger wants you down in Air Lock D with all your emergency equipment ready in 30 minutes." Just the mere possibility of an outbreak of Hasbola sent a cold shiver down Wendy's back. While most feared the unknown, Wendy feared what was *known* about the virus. Hasbola derived its name from the small, remote colony where it first appeared. It was a cross between the flesh eating Strep bacteria and the Motaba virus which could liquefy a victim's internal organs within a span of a few days. The first and only outbreak killed all 253 colonist of Hasbola within a matter of three weeks. It was the stuff of nightmares and blockbuster movies and the most frightening aspect of it was that there was *no* cure. To Be Continued Wendy was glad that Captain Bridger decided to send a mini-sub instead of docking seaQuest to Rohan Colony. They just couldn't risk accidentally transporting the disease aboard the ship. A small contingent whose objective was to diagnose whether it was indeed an outbreak of Hasbola would be sent instead. This contingent consisted of herself as the Chief Medical Doctor, Dr. Crys Chiu as her assistant, Lt. Brody as security for the team, and Captain Bridger, who insisted in coming as an UEO representative which Wendy thought was peculiar but there was no time to question his decision. Once the mini-sub docked onto Rohan Colony, the four quickly put on their Decon Helmets over their yellow Decontamination Suits that would protect them from the deadly virus. At the Air-Lock, they were greeted by the gruff provincial governor of the colony who was wearing a vintage gas mask in hopes of protecting himself. To Wendy, the governor looked and even carried himself more like a die-hard sailor whose home was on the a boat than your average politician of an undersea agriculture colony. He quickly ushered the four to the infirmary. As morbid as it sounds, Wendy noted, as they rushed through the colony, how deathly quiet it was. The governor told them that he had confined all the colonist to their quarters until it could be establish whether it was Hasbola. But to Wendy, this only made the colony look more like a ghost town and it would surly become a ghost town if Hasbola was discovered. "He's in here," the burly governor said behind his gas mask which muffled most of what he said. He was pointing to a room at the end of the corridor and was motioning for them to hurry. Wendy, Bridger, Brody, and Chui lumbered as fast as their Decon Suits would allow. "I'm no doctor,ma'am, but he looks bad," he said as he pointed to the sick man. The hospital room was your average two-bedroom with one bed hidden with a privacy curtain and the other in full view with a patient writhing in unimaginable pain and agony underneath the white bed sheets. The man's moaning and groaning were like nothing Wendy had ever heard in her life. She knelt beside the man who was now in violent convulsions; with a gentle hand, she turned the sick man's head towards her to get a better look. In shock, Wendy stumbled backwards landing on her butt. "OH, MY GOD!" she gasped in astonishment as she saw who the sick man was. It was Charles Ross! The Avatar!!! His face was covered with pus sacs and various oddly shaped black spots which were the hallmarks of Hasbola. She thought all the books and pictures she had read and seen could prepare her for this moment, but it was still a shock to see it in real life. Wendy had to calm herself down. She took several deep breaths and kept reminding herself that she was safe in her Decon Suit. "Wendy?" the Avatar asked in a strained voice. Before she could answer, he turned his head away and let out a ghastly cough. Wendy got off the floor and knelt beside the Avatar to comfort him. "Yes, it's me." "Wendy, do..." He closed his eyes for a while as his face contorted in more pain as he let out a quiet moan. Opening his eyes, he gasped, "...do something for me." "Anything." Wendy wanted to cry and vomit all at the same time, but she had to keep herself together for the Avatar's sake. His eyes grew dark and an expression of hopelessness spread across his face, "I'm dying..." "Not if I can help it!" Wendy insisted. She was going to find a cure. She was going to help him. She just had to! She couldn't let him die. Looking her straight in the eyes, he said, "I know... I know I am. Just do me... one thing." His speech was breaking up as every second brought on another burst of pain. "What is it?" "Just tell... tell my girlfriend... Deanna... I love her." He gasped for more air as if it was his last breath. Wendy wanted to do something, anything to relieve his pain. She knew he was dying and there was nothing she could do except to keep her promise. The Avatar smiled at Wendy and gurgled with his dying breath, "And make sure... make sure she wishes you... a happy birthday." The Avatar's body went into an excruciating convulsion and then suddenly he just collapsed and laid limp and unmoving on the bed. Wendy's heart sunk. She couldn't save him. A tidal wave of emotions hit her hard. She was about to cry when suddenly the Avatar's odd request sunk in. "What!?!" Wendy said in confusion just as the privacy curtain around the second bed swung open. A group of Wendy's family and friends holding balloons jumped out from behind the curtain and threw confetti in the air as they cheered, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WENDY!" The room was soon filled with laughter from the group as they pointed at a startled Wendy. The Avatar quickly opened his eyes and flashed Wendy a devilish grin that looked macabre with all the black spots and pus sacs. "A birthday wouldn't be the same without the Avatar of Your Dreams! Happy Birthday Wendy!" Wendy's face quickly turned flushed. She swirled around to see Bridger and Brody had both taken off their Decon helmets and were joining in with their own laughter. Even the governor had taken off his gas mask and was laughing at her. Then Dr. Chiu stumbled forward and collapsed on the floor. She started to convulse on the floor and finally gasped her last dying breath as she re-enacted a goofy death scene which only made people laugh even harder. "I can't believe you did this to me again, Captain!" "Don't look at me! I was just the taxi driver." Bridger waved his hands in protest and gave her a choir boy look of innocence. "Your mother was the one who planned all of this!" "Mom!" Wendy cried out as her mother walked into the room. Wendy flung off her Decon helmet and ran to her. "I'm going get you back, you better watch out," Wendy scolded affectionately as she gave her a big hug. "Happy birthday, honey," Admiral Lexington Fisher-Smith whispered in her daughter's ear. To Be Continued Streamers and balloons of every color and size transformed the main meeting hall of Rohan Colony into a huge birthday bash for Wendy. Wendy stood shocked and stunned in the corner of the hall. Family and friends she hadn't seen in years were all here. She just stood back, looking at everyone, speechless at the beloved sight. In one corner, Lucas and her brother, Peter, who were almost the same age, were talking up a storm about Lucas's adventures on seaQuest. Lucas reminded Wendy so much of her brother that she wasn't at all surprised that the two were getting along so well. At the refreshment table, Dr. Jessica Wong, Wendy's best friend from Med-school, was virtually mauling Jim Brody and, of course, Brody was enjoying every minute of it. "She owes me big time," Wendy whispered to herself. One of the bizarrest events of the night was on stage. Miguel Ortiz was Karaoking the 80's favorite, "Love Shack," by the B-52's. That in itself wasn't too strange considering Ortiz had a "decent" singing voice. What made it strange was that U.S. Fleet Admiral Mars, Ambassador Hoo of the Pacific Rim Confederation, and her cousin, Jules, were sing back up! On the dance floor, Tim and Loni were dancing to Ortiz's "Love Shack." Actually, Loni was the only one dancing. What Tim was doing, couldn't exactly be classified as "dancing." "Loni's gonna have a heck of a time teaching Tim to dance than she did with Dagwood!" she chuckled as she watched Tim flail his arms in the air as he continued to step on Loni's toes. With two drinks in his hand, Captain Bridger came over to Wendy's side and offered a drink to her. She graciously accepted a glass and took a couple sips of fruit punch which made her slightly lightheaded. Obviously, Piccolo had spiked the punch again, but she wasn't going to say anything to ruin the party. "Wendy, I'd like you to meet one of my oldest friends, Manilow Crocker, who is indeed *old*," Bridger laughed as he introduced his friend, the Governor of Rohan Colony. With a crooked smile, Crocker shook Wendy's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet ya, ma'am." "He use to be Chief of Security on seaQuest before you came aboard. Who would've thought he'd settle down and become governor of an Ag-colony?" Bridger joked. "Well, when my job with that Tucker guy didn't pan out, I thought it was time to retire. These old bones aren't what they use to be," Crocker answered. Admiral Smith came over to the joking trio and interrupted the conversation when she slipped her arm around Bridger. "So this is where you've been hiding, Nathan. I'd say you've been trying to avoid me, but why in the world would you want to do that?" she said seductively as she placed her finger on her lips and then dabbed it on Bridger's cheek. Bridger stuttered, "But I ... I ..." "Why don't we dance?" Admiral Smith insisted as she dragged the Captain onto the dance floor. "So is true you like to swim nude with your dolphin?" The Captain looked back at Wendy giving her puppy dog eyes which screamed "HELP ME!!!," but she wasn't going to lift one little finger for the Captain because they didn't call her mom "Sexy Lexy" for nothing. It looked like her mom probably had one glass of "fruit punch" too many. After a few minutes of watching the Captain in the clutches of the inibriated Admiral, Crocker chuckled and said, "I'd better rescue the Captain's butt, *again*." "Hey, Dagwood," Wendy said cheerfully as the hulking GELF approached her. Giving Wendy a bear hug, Dagwood exclaimed, "Happy birthday, Dr. Smith." Unfortunately, Dagwood, without knowing it, was hugging Wendy just a little too much to the point of nearly suffocating and crushing her to death. Struggling to breath, Wendy murmured underneath Dagwood's massive frame, "Thanks, Dagwood, but you can stop hugging me, now. PLEASE!" "Okay. I got you this," Dagwood said as he let go Wendy. With one hand, Dagwood took out a present obviously wrapped all by himself considering the use of duct tape on brown wrapping paper. For a couple of minutes, Wendy struggled to unwrapped the present which gave her some time to recuperate from her near death experience. The last piece of wrapping floated to the floor and a shiny, new, red toothbrush laid in her hand. "Uh... Nobody's ever given me a toothbrush before... It's a very nice toothbrush. Yes, a very nice toothbrush." "It's so you can brush your teeth 'cause I like it when you smile. Makes me happy to see you smile," Dagwood muttered embarrassingly with a reddish face. Wendy's heart burst as the stupid toothbrush transformed into something she'd forever cherish with all her heart. Whatever "intelligence" Dagwood lacked, his big heart overcompensated and made him the sweetest guy alive. With tears in her eyes, Wendy said softly, "It's the best gift I've ever gotten in my whole life!" "I didn't mean to make you cry." "It's happy tears, Dagwood. Wanna dance with me, big guy?" "Dagwood's a good dancer," he said with a big childish grin on his face. Clasping his big hands gently around Wendy's, Dagwood led her to the dance floor. Just as Loni had taught him, Dagwood gently held Wendy close to him and they slow danced to the ultra-slow version of "Blue Moon." Wendy smiled, Dagwood was indeed a good dancer. Compared to Tim, Dagwood was Fred Astair!!! "Um... Dagwood." Dr. Nibor Moniker tapped on Dagwood's shoulders to get his attention. "Do you mind if I cut in?" "Okay, I was hungry anyways," said Dagwood as he left Wendy for the refreshment table. "Ooooooo! Look! Pineapple!! Dagwood loves pineapples!!!" "So Dr. Smith, do you mind if I had this dance?" the young dolphin specialist said as he gave Wendy a bow. "Why Dr. Moniker, I would be honored to have this dance with you." The song "Unchained Melodies" soon filled the hall with its beautiful melodies by the Righteous Brothers. "So, Wendy, I guess this makes you Demi Moore." "And that would make you Patrick Swayze." Flashing her a smile, Nibor joked, "Darn! I was hoping to be Whoopi Goldberg!" Wendy chuckled, "Nibs, you don't have a 'Ghost' of a chance of being Whoopi Goldberg! So you're just going to have to settle being Patrick Swayze!" "So does this mean we'll be 'Dirty Dancing' later on?" "Depends on how many cups of 'fruit punch' we have." A mischievous grin soon spread across Wendy's face. THE END ;-)