Leviathan

"Title of novel:The Count of Monte Cristo."

LEVIATHAN , 420 MILES NORTHEAST

OF THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS

(THE POLAR ICE CAP)

Niles thought it the best course for Alice and the senator to act as one team, he and Virginia another, and because Sarah seemed to tolerate Farbeaux far better than any of them, they would comprise the third team. The idea was that as they toured the ship in teams, they could cover more ground, and at least keep the eyes that would surely be upon them far busier tracking three groups than they pla

Niles and Virginia were the first to stroll down to the command center. As they entered and saw the center for the first time in close-up detail, they saw it looked nothing like any submarine they had ever seen before. It was thirty times larger than the mock deck of the starship Enterprise. They saw neither First Officer Samuels nor Captain Heirthall on duty.

The deck was quiet, exceedingly so, as operators ma

"You know, when I was a kid, I can remember the first polar transit by USS Nautilus," Niles said aloud, gaining the attention of the man at the chart table, but also that of several of the operators at their semidark stations. He saw that their looks were anything but hostile, nor did they show a

"Indeed, sir," the young man at the chart table said, looking up at Niles and Virginia. "I'm afraid I wasn't born at that time, but I can imagine the world was very excited at the news. Captain Heirthall's mother and father--they actually followed Nautiluson her journey under the ice--they wished to make sure she was in no danger. They were great admirers of the nuclear submarine program and wished to see it succeed." He looked around, almost embarrassed. "At least, that was the way it was taught to us in the Heirthall Midshipman School."

Niles just shook his head and looked from the young Norwegian-sounding officer to the others watching him and Virginia with curiosity. Several of these crewmen were as young as Yeoman Alvera; trainees, he figured, and obviously midshipmen in their teens as well. They didn't look quite as interested in Niles, nor the navigator's reminiscences. Their looks were almost hostile, not only at them, but also at the crew that listened.

"Well, I remember my father pointing to the headline at least--I was a little young myself. But in answer to your comment, yes, we were very proud, at least my father was. He was an engineer in construction, and I remember him saying, 'The world is now being opened before us.'"

The technicians exchanged looks and smiled, nodding their heads. They seemed to be very interested in Niles's remembrance of the time. This time, Virginia noticed the younger midshipmen exchange looks, and for some reason, those looks didn't look too friendly at all.

"I am Lieutenant Stefan Kogersborg. I am watch commander and officer of the deck. You must be Drs. Compton and Pollock?"

Virginia nodded politely.

"Would you like to see our position? I would be most happy to show you exactly where we are."

Niles stepped up to the table with Virginia and the young officer pointed at the ice cap above them, tinged in white light-emitting lines.

"As you see, the ice thickness above us is at varying depths and thicknesses. We have very large pressure ridges which are very dangerous to a submarine, even one as large as Leviathan." He moved his fingers along the three-dimensional outline of the ice above. Then he pointed to a miniature version of the submarine far below. "The captain has ordered our speed cut in half to seventy knots for safety reasons," he said in all seriousness.

Niles looked closer at the hologram simulation before him.

"That's Leviathanhere?" he asked, pointing. "What in God's name is our depth?"

The officer of the deck pushed a button, and a projected speed appeared next to the moving vessel.

"We are currently at forty-five hundred feet."

Niles was stu

Kogersborg had to stifle a laugh. Niles and Virginia heard the other technicians, but not the midshipmen, chuckle at their stations as many of them exchanged bemused looks.

"Did I say something amusing?"

The officer cleared his throat loudly. The operators silenced and went back to their sca

"Of course, you did nothing of the kind, Doctor. We here on Leviathanare so used to what this vessel can do, we sometimes forget our abilities are somewhat astounding to the outside world. Also, I would like to apologize for the technicians of this watch"--he looked around him at the crewmen of his shift--"as we sometimes do not utilize the ma

"No need to apologize. I am just ... stu

"Lieutenant Kogersborg, I don't think the captain wants you to go into such fine detail about many of the technologies in the control center."

They all turned to see Yeoman Alvera standing behind them.

"Yeoman, I am following First Officer Samuels's orders to the letter. Now return to your duties, and never leave your station while on duty upon this bridge, or you'll be called to mast before Mr. Samuels."

"Aye, Lieutenant," she said as she looked from Kogersborg to Niles and Virginia. "You have my apologies."

"Yeomen--they think they run the boat. I'm sorry for the interruption. In answer to your inquiry, Doctor, I could go into much detail about how we operate at this, and far greater depths, but I haven't the elegance to do justice to our captain and her family's science. Captain Heirthall will explain it all to you. You know"--he leaned in close to Niles and Virginia--"the captain is making a gift of all this to the world one day. She knows in order to fulfill the demands she's making upon everyone on land, there has to be a reward for the harsh times they'll have to endure."

Compton was sure the young officer had just give him a prepared speech. He thought the young man had been directed to sneak that little gem in somewhere to someone while they were touring. As he thought this, he felt the eyes of the younger trainee midshipmen on them, and for some reason he couldn't fathom, he didn't like it at all.

"I see. Let's hope we can dissuade her from the demands she's making, and maybe reach a middle ground," he said as he saw the midshipmen return to their training.

The blond officer smiled, and then leaned on the holographic table. "Perhaps."

"For such a brilliant woman, she has moments of sheer brutality," Virginia said, watching for a reaction.

"We all realize the stress that the captain is under, and her orders of late have been--"

"May I ask where it is we are going, at so great a speed and depth?" Niles asked, cutting off the officer's answer. He had noticed several of the young midshipmen looking directly at Kogersborg, and for a reason Niles couldn't quite understand, he stopped the officer from committing to an answer.