Leviathan

Heirthall leaned against the composite hull and lowered her head. Samuels reached out and took the captain's arm.

"Please, Commander, I am all right, just tired," she said as she shrugged off his support.

"Ma'am, I have studied the files on these people. You can ask them anything you want, but if they don't wish it, they won't tell you a thing." He looked at Tyler, who watched Samuels with steely eyes. "Unless you plan to torture them."

"If I have to, I will. The captain wants to know what these people know about her and ... her family, I will get the answers she wants."

"For what? What possible harm can this Group, or anyone for that matter, cause us or Leviathan?We are invulnerable. Once the world knows of the plight of the endangered species in the gulf, I believe they can actually assist in its survival. Bringing them aboard was a mistake, but a mistake they don't have to pay for with their lives."

"Commander, for the second time in a twenty-four-hour period you have questioned my orders. This can never happen again. Am I clear on that point?" Heirthall didn't wait for the answer. She turned and made her way down the companionway.

Tyler stepped up to Samuels and looked the smaller man over.

"Listen to the captain, Mr. Samuels; don't make me have to question your loyalty."

The first officer of Leviathanwatched the head of security turn away and follow Heirthall. He slumped against the bulkhead and closed his eyes. He knew something was happening that he knew nothing about, and if Tyler knew, that something couldn't be good. And what was worse, his captain was changing right before his eyes.

EVENT GROUP COMPLEX,

NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, NEVADA

Dr. Gene Robbins was staring a hole through Carl Everett. The captain returned the glare and added a bit more of his own.

"You ca

"I understand that, Doc, but you ca

"I think we should verify the professor's findings first--that way we don't waste the time if he's wrong in his research."

"Listen, Professor Ellenshaw has proven to everyone in this complex that his work is viable. He's not a nutcase--that man is brilliant, and the sooner you get ahold of that fact, the better off you'll be. Start with his findings," Everett said angrily.

"Europa, do you have information regarding the research for a Professor Francis Heirthall--University of Oslo--say eighteen thirty-five on?" Robbins asked, not liking the lecture from Carl.

At that moment, Jack walked into the room pulling on rubber gloves. Robbins shook his head but continued to write on his notepad.

"Hope you don't mind. I need some quiet time while Pete arranges for transport to the Pacific for us," Jack said as he pulled out a chair and sat to the right of Carl.

"So we are going with Professor Ellenshaw's hunch?" Everett asked.

"I believe he said quiet time, Captain. May we continue? Colonel Collins, we are not using Europa clean-room protocols; you may discard the gloves."

Jack half-smiled as Everett turned back to face Robbins, but did not say anything. Collins walked to the trash bin and tossed his gloves inside. He noticed something under the discarded pair he had just thrown in. He reached in and picked up another glove coated in a silvery substance that looked familiar to him. He shrugged and almost tossed it back inside the waste bin, but instead wrapped it inside of one of his own gloves and pocketed both.

" Dr. Robbins, Europa has formulated the text of several verified experiments conducted by Professor F. Heirthall, University of Oslo, eighteen thirty-six to eighteen forty-three. List is as follows:

" ' The utilization of electrical current derived from reciprocating engine (steam).'

" ' Copper usage in the flow-through aspects of electrical current.'

" ' Hydrodynamic tolerances and depth degradation of oxygen filled platforms.'

" ' Oxygen purification--carbon monoxide poisoning.'"

As they watched the words appear and listened to Europa, they didn't realize at first that the list was complete.

"Europa, what do you have on the professor after eighteen forty-three?" Everett asked.

" Information extracted from the Oslo Herald, June third, eighteen forty-three, reported the death of Francis Heirthall in a University of Oslo laboratory fire."

"Being a navy man as I am, based on this list I would say the professor was working on systems that are consistent with submarine design," Carl said as he looked at Jack.

"I think you're right, Captain," Jack said as he leaned toward his microphone. "Europa, was the professor married?"

Europa placed one more program by robotic arm.

" Oslo census reports Dame Alexandria Heirthall, eighteen twenty to eighteen fifty-one, listed as spouse at the time of the professor's death. Son: Octavian Heirthall."

"Is there any newspaper account of the Heirthall family listed in historical records other than the accomplishments and research records of Professor Heirthall?" Robbins asked.

Europa started loading more programs.

"We may be barking up the wrong tree here, Doc," Everett said.

"Possibly, but let's go ahead and cut this tree down at any rate so we can move on with a clear conscience."

" One newspaper account from France dated September nineteenth, eighteen forty-six, is the only mention of the Heirthall name after the eighteen forty-three obituary for Professor Francis Heirthall," Europa said in her female voice, at the same time typing out the script on the large monitor.

"What was the gist of this French news story?" Jack asked without much hope in finding anything worthwhile.

"Headline reads as follows:NORWEGIAN ROYALTY BATTERS FRENCH AUTHOR IN CIVIL COURT."

"Okay, what sort of suit was brought against this author?" Everett asked.

"I don't see how this is co

" The lawsuit brought by Dame Alexandria and Octavian Heirthall was in reference to libel and defamation of her husband's character," Europa answered, cutting Robbins's protest short.

"Come on, Europa, for crying out loud, who was the author?" Everett asked angrily, tired of this slow line of questioning and starting to think Robbins was right.

" The defendant in said case is listed only as A. Dumas, Paris, France. Occupation: novelist."

Jack sat up straight. "Europa, what was written about Heirthall? I mean, was it a book?"

Robbins shook his head in reference to the way Collins was asking questions.

" The item was listed as a manuscript not yet in book form that was sent to the family for comment."

"What was the title of the manuscript?" Jack asked.

"Holy shit," Carl said when the answer appeared.

Collins shook his head when it was apparent Europa had finished her research. He watched silently as the last words typed out blinked in a greenish hue on the big screen, and Europa verbally answered.