SHOCK WAVE - Part 1 By Clive Cussler Vogue Audiobooks Young girl reading book sitting at window sill

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Shockwave by Clive Kessler this book consists  of two prefaces entitled respectively raft of   the Gladiator and the Legacy and  59 chapters and is 537 pages long the following material appears on the dust jacket  of the book in Shockwave Dirk pit meets the most   intriguing and Sinister villain of his adventurous  and legendary career a billionaire Australian   diamond king with three beautiful Amazon daughters  in a conflict that is waged above and below the   sea for the survival of vast numbers of sea  creatures and more than a million human beings   in 1856 a British clipper ship sinks after  a storm while transporting convicts to an   Australian penal colony after horrible  Carnage on a raft the pitiful survivors   among them Betsy Fletcher and Jess Dorset  are washed up on a solitary tropical island   where they discover an immense source of  diamonds and found a powerful and Wealthy Dynasty   144 years later Maeve Fletcher one of their  descendants is stranded on an island in   Antarctica with a party of passengers after  their cruise ship seemingly abandons them   Dirk pit on an expedition to find the source of a  deadly plague that is killing dolphins and seals   in the Weddell sea finds Maeve and the passengers  and rescues them from death when Pitt later   uncovers the cause of the plague he discovers that  maeve's Father Arthur Dorset and her two sisters   are responsible because of their diamond mining  technology a deadly race develops to stop Dorset   from continuing his murderous mining operations  and to head off a disaster that will kill Millions   Pitt's struggle to foil dorset's ruthless plan  to destroy the market for diamonds and thus gain   a monopoly of his own takes him from harrowing  Adventures off the west coast of Canada to being   cast adrift in the Tasman Sea in a small boat  with his good friend Al jordino and the lovely   Maeve Dorset through trial by storms hunger and  thirst pits inventive genius and Relentless drive   to survive eventually bring him to a final spine  chilling confrontation with Arthur Dorset himself   at the very heart of his domain with the  clock ticking against devastating tragedy   a confrontation in which Pitt gains Triumph  but at the cost of great personal loss   as he discovers a lethal surprise that  will shock and astonish the reader   only Clive Kessler the Grand Master of Adventure  could have written a story this suspenseful Clive Kessler's life nearly parallels that of his  hero Dirk Pitt whether searching for lost aircraft   or leading expeditions to find famous shipwrecks  he has garnered an amazing record of success   with his Numa crew of volunteers Kessler  has discovered more than 60 lost ships   of historic significance including the  long-lost Confederate submarine Hundley   like Pitt kussler collects Classic  Automobiles his collection features   80 examples of custom coach work and is  one of the finest to be found anywhere   Cussler divides his time between the deserts  of Arizona and the mountains of Colorado   dedication with deep appreciation to Dr Nicholas  Nicholas Dr Jeffrey taffet and Robert Fleming raft of the Gladiator January  17 1856.

The Tasman Sea of the four clipper ships built in Aberdeen  Scotland in 1854 one stood out from the others   she was the gladiator a big ship of 1256  tons 198 feet in length and a 34-foot beam   with three towering masts reaching for the sky  at a wreckage angle she was one of the fleatest   of the Clippers ever to take to water but she was  a dangerous ship to sail in rough weather because   of her Two Fine Lines she was hailed as a ghoster  having the capability of sailing under the barest   breath of wind indeed the Gladiator was never  to experience a slow passage from being becomed   unfortunately and unpredictably she  was a ship destined for Oblivion   her owners fitted her out for the  Australian trade and immigrant business   and she was one of the few Clippers designed  to carry passengers as well as cargo   but as they soon discovered there weren't  that many colonists who could afford the fair   so she was sailing with first and second-class  cabins empty it was found to be far more   lucrative to obtain government contracts for the  transportation of convicts to the continent that   initially served as the world's largest jail the  Gladiator was placed under command of one of the   hardest driving Clipper captains Charles bully  Skaggs he was aptly named though skags did not   use the Lash on shirking or insubordinate crewmen  he was ruthless in driving his men and ship on   record runs between England and Australia  his aggressive methods produced results   on her third Homeward Voyage Gladiator set a  63-day record that still stands for sailing ships   Skaggs had raced the legendary  captains and clipper ships of his time   John Kendricks of the fleet Hercules and  Wilson Asher in command of the renowned Jupiter   and never lost rival captains who left  London within hours of the Gladiator   invariably found her comfortably moored at  her dock when they arrived in Sydney Harbor   the fast runs were a godsend to the prisoners  who endured the nightmarish voyages in appalling   torment many of the slower Merchant ships took as  long as three and a half months to make the voyage locked below decks the convicts  were treated like a cargo of cattle   some were hardened criminals some were  political dissidents all too many were poor   souls who had been imprisoned for stealing  a few pieces of cloth or scraps of food   the men were being sent to the penal colony  for every offense from murder to pickpocketing   the women separated from the men by a  thick bulkhead were mostly condemned for   petty theft or shoplifting for both sexes  there were few conveniences of any kind   skimpy bedding in small wooden berths the barest  of hygienic facilities and food with little   nutrients was their lot for the months at sea  their only luxuries were rations of sugar vinegar   and lime juice to ward off scurvy and a half  pint of port wine to boost their morale at night   they were guarded by a small Detachment of ten  men from the New South Wales Infantry Regiment   under the command of Lieutenant Silas Shepherd  ventilation was almost non-existent the only   air came from hatchways with solidly built  grills that were kept closed and heavily bolted   once they entered the tropics the air  became stifling during the blazing hot days   they suffered even more during rough  weather cold and wet thrown about by   the waves crashing against the hull  living in a state of virtual Darkness doctors were required to serve on the convict  ships and the Gladiator was no exception   surgeon superintendent Otis Gorman saw to the  prisoners General Health and arranged for small   groups of them to come on deck for fresh air  and exercise whenever the weather permitted   it became a source of Pride for surgeons to boast  when finally reaching the dock in Sydney but they   hadn't lost a prisoner Gorman was a compassionate  man who cared for his Wards bleeding them when   required Lansing abscesses dispensing treatment  and advice on lacerations blisters and purges   also overseeing the spreading of lime chloride in  the water closets the laundering of clothes and   the scouring of the urine tubs he seldom failed  to receive a letter of thanks from the convicts as   they filed ashore bully skags mostly ignored the  unfortunates locked below his decks record runs   were his stock in trade his iron discipline and  aggressiveness had paid off handsomely in bonuses   from Happy shipping owners while making him and  his ship Immortal in the Legends of clipper ships   this trip he smelled a new record and  was relentless 52 days out of London   Bound for Sydney with a cargo of trade  goods and 192 convicts 24 of them women   he pushed Gladiator to her absolute limits  seldom taking in sale during a heavy blow   his perseverance was rewarded with a  24-hour run of an incredible 439 miles and then skagg's luck ran out disaster  loomed over the Eastern Horizon   a day after gladiator's safe Passage through the  Bass Strait between Tasmania and the southern tip   of Australia the evening Sky filled with ominous  black clouds and the stars were blotted out as the   sea grew vicious in proportion unknown to skags  a full-blown typhoon was hurling itself upon his   ship from the southeast beyond the Tasman Sea  Magellan Stout as they were but clipper ships   enjoyed no amnesty from the Pacific's anger  The Tempest was to prove the most violent and   devastating typhoon within memory of the south  sea Islanders the wind gained in velocity with   each passing hour the Seas became heaving  mountains that rushed out of the dark and   pounded the entire length of the Gladiator too  late Skaggs gave the order to Reef the sails   a vicious gust caught the exposed canvas and tore  it to shreds but not before snapping off the masts   like toothpicks and pitching the shrouds and yards  onto the deck Far Below then as if attempting to   clean up their mess the pounding waves cleared  the Tangled wreckage of the masts overboard   a 30-foot surge smashed into the stern and  rolled over the ship crushing the captain's   cabin and tearing off the rudder the deck was  swept free of boats Helm deck house and Galley   the hatches were stove in and water poured into  the hold unobstructed this one deadly enormous   wave had suddenly battered the once graceful  clipper ship into a helpless crippled derelict   she was tossed like a block of wood made  unmanageable by the mountainous Seas unable to   fight The Tempest our unfortunate crew and cargo  of convicts could only stare into the face of   death as they waited in Terror for the ship to  take her final plunge into the Restless depths two weeks after the Gladiator failed to reach  Port ships were sent out to retrace the known   Clipper passages through Bass Strait and the  Tasman Sea but they failed to turn up a trace of   survivors corpses or floating wreckage her owners  wrote her off as a loss the underwriters paid off   the relatives of the crew and convicts mourned  their passing and the ship's memory became dimmed   by time some ships had a reputation as floating  coffins or Hell ships but the Rival captains   who knew Skaggs and the Gladiator merely shook  their heads and crossed off the vanished graceful   clipper ship as a victim of her tender sailing  qualities and Skaggs aggressive handling of her   two men who had once sailed on her suggested  that she might have been abruptly caught in   a following Gust in unison with a wave that broke  over the stern the combined Force pushing her bow   beneath the water and sending her plummeting to  the bottom in the underwriting room of Lloyds of   London the famous Maritime Underwriters the loss  of the Gladiator was recorded in the log book   between the thinking of an American steam Tugboat  and the grounding of a Norwegian fishing boat   almost three years were to pass before  the mysterious disappearance was solved incredibly unknown to the maritime World  The Gladiator was still afloat after the   terrible typhoon had passed on to the West  somehow the ravaged Clipper ship had survived   but the sea was entering between sprung planks  in the hull at an alarming rate by the following   noon there were six feet of water in the hold  and the pumps were fighting a losing battle Captain bully Skaggs flinty endurance never  wavered the crew swore he kept the ship from   foundering by sheer stubbornness alone he issued  orders sternly and calmly enlisting those convicts   who hadn't suffered major injuries from having  been knocked about by the constant battering   of the sea to man the pumps while the crew  concentrated on repairing the leaking Hull   the rest of the day and night was spent in an  attempt to lighten the ship throwing overboard   the cargo and any tool or utensil that was not  deemed indispensable nothing helped much time   was lost and the effort achieved little the water  gained another three feet by the following morning by mid-afternoon an exhausted skags bowed to  defeat nothing he or anyone could do would save   the Gladiator and without boats there was only  one desperate gamble to save the souls on board   he ordered Lieutenant Shepard to release the  prisoners and line them up on Deck opposite   the watchful eyes of his armed Detachment of  soldiers only those who worked the pumps and   members of the crew feverishly attempting  to caulk the leaks remained at their labor   bully Skaggs didn't need the Lash or a pistol  to have complete domination of his ship   he was a giant of a man with the physique of  a stone Mason he stood six feet two inches   tall with eyes that were olive gray peering  from a face weathered by the Sea and sun   a great shag of ink black hair and a magnificent  Black Beard that he braided on special occasions   framed his face he spoke with a deep vibrant  voice that enhanced his commanding presence   in the prime of life he was  a hard-bitten 39 years old   as he looked over the convicts he was startled by  the number of injuries the bruises the sprains the   heads wrapped with blood-soaked bandages beer  and consternation were revealed on every face   an uglier group of men and  women he'd never laid eyes on   they tended to be short no doubt due to a lifetime  of insufficient diet their countenances were gone   their complexions palad cynical impervious to the  word of God they were the dregs of British Society   without expectation of seeing their Homeland  again without hope of living out a fruitful life   when the poor riches saw the terrible  damage above deck the stumps of the masts   the shattered bulwarks the missing boats they  were overwhelmed with despair the women began   uttering cries of Terror all except one  Skaggs noted who stood out from the rest   as eyes briefly paused on the female convict  who was nearly as tall as most of the men   the legs showing beneath her  skirt were long and smooth   her narrow waist was shadowed by a nicely shaped  bosom that spilled over the top of her blouse   her clothes appeared neat and clean and her  waist-length yellow hair had a brushed luster   to it unlike that of the other women whose hair  was unkempt and stringy she stood poised her fear   masked by a show of defiance as she stared back  at Skaggs through eyes as blue as an Alpine Lake   this was the first time Skaggs had noticed her and  he idly wondered why he hadn't been more observant   he refocused his wandering thoughts on the  emergency at hand and addressed the convicts our situation is not promising Skaggs began in  honesty I must tell you the ship is doomed and   with the Seas destruction of our boats we cannot  abandon her his words were greeted with a mixed   reaction Lieutenant Shepard's infantryman  stood silent and motionless while many of   the convicts began to wail and moan piteously  expecting to see the ship go to Pieces within   moments several of the convicts fell to their  knees and begged the heavens for salvation   turning a deaf ear to the doleful  cries Skaggs continued his address   with the help of a merciful god I will  attempt to save every soul on this ship   I intend to build a raft of sufficient  size to carry everyone on board until we   are saved by a passing ship or drift  ashore on the Australian mainland   we'll load ample provisions of food  and water enough to last us for 20 days   if you don't mind me asking Captain how  soon do you reckon before we'd be picked up   the question came from a huge man with  a contemptuous expression who stood   Head and Shoulders Above the Rest unlike his  companions he was fashionably dressed with every   hair on his head fastidiously in place before  answering Skaggs turned to Lieutenant Shepard   who's that Dandy Shepard leaned toward the captain  name is Jess Dorset skagg's eyebrows raised   Jess Dorset The Highwayman the lieutenant  nodded the same made a fortune he did before   the queen's men caught up with him the only  one of this Motley mob who can read and write   Skaggs immediately realized that The  Highwayman might prove valuable if the   situation on the raft turned menacing  the possibility of mutiny was very real   I can only offer you all a chance at life  Mr Dorset beyond that I promise nothing   so what do you expect of me and my degenerate  friends here I expect every able-bodied man to   help build the raft any of you who refuse  or shirk will be left behind on the ship   hear that boys Dorset shouted to the assembled  convicts work or you die he turned back to Skaggs   none of us are Sailors you'll have to tell us  how to go about it Skaggs gestured toward his   first officer I have charged Mr Ramsey with  drawing up plans and framing the raft a work   party drawn from those of my crew not required  to keep us afloat we'll direct the construction   at six feet four Jess Dorsett seemed a  giant when standing among the other convicts   the shoulders beneath the expensive  velvet coat stretched Broad and Powerful   his copper red hair was long and hung  loose over the collar of the coat   his head was large-nosed with high cheekbones  and a heavy jaw despite two months of hardship   locked in the ship's hold he looked as though  he'd just stepped out of a London drawing room   before turned from each other  Dorset and Skaggs exchanged glances   first officer Ramsey caught the intensity  the tiger and the lion he thought pensively   he wondered who would be left  standing at the end of their ordeal fortunately the sea had turned calm since the  raft was to be built in the water the construction   began with the materials being thrown overboard  the main framework was made up from the remains of   the masts lashed together with a strong rope casks  of wine along with barrels of flour meant for the   taverns and grocery stores of Sydney were emptied  and tied within the masts for added buoyancy   heavy planking was nailed across the top for a  deck and then surrounded by a waste High railing   two spare top nests were erected four and  aft and fitted with sails shrouds and stays   when completed the raft measured 80 feet in length  by 40 feet wide and though it looked quite large   by the time the provisions were loaded on board  it was a tight squeeze to pack in 192 convicts 11   soldiers and the ship's crew which numbered 38.  including bully Skaggs for a total of 231.

At   what passed for the stern a rudimentary Rudder was  attached to a makeshift tiller behind the AFT mast   wooden kegs containing water lime juice brined  beef and pork as well as cheese and several pots   of rice and peas cooked in the ship's Galley were  lowered on board between the masts and tied down   under a large sheet of canvas that was spread over  two-thirds of the raft as an awning to ward off   the burning rays of the Sun the departure was  blessed by clear skies and to see as smooth as   a Mill Pond the soldiers were disembarked first  carrying their muskets and sabers then came the   convicts who were all too happy to escape sinking  with the ship now dangerously down by the bow   the ship's ladder was inadequate to support them  all so most came over the side dangling from ropes   several jumped or fell into the water and  were recovered by the soldiers the badly   injured were lowered by slings surprisingly  The Exodus was carried off without incident   in two hours all 203 were safely stationed  on the raft and positions assigned by Skaggs   the crew came next Captain Skaggs the last man  to leave the steeply slanting deck he dropped   a box containing two pistols the ship's log a  chronometer compass and a Sextant into the arms of   first officer Ramsey Skaggs had taken a position  fix before dropping over the side and had told   no one not even Ramsay but the storm had blown  the Gladiator far off the normal shipping routes   they were drifting in a dead area of the Tasman  Sea 300 miles from the nearest Australian Shore   and what was worse the current was carrying them  even farther into nothingness where no ship sailed   he consulted his charts and determined  their only hope was to take advantage   of the adverse current and winds  and sail East toward New Zealand   soon after settling in everyone in their place  on the crowded deck the rafts passengers found   to their dismay that there was only enough  space for 40 bodies to lie down at any one time   it was obvious to the seamen from the ship  that their lives were in great Jeopardy   the planked deck of the raft was only four  inches above the water if confronted with a   rough sea the raft and its unfortunate passengers  would be immersed Skaggs hung the compass on the   Mast forward of the tiller set sail Mr Ramsay  steer a heading of 115 degrees east Southeast   hi captain we'll not try for Australia then  our best hope is the west coast of New Zealand   how far do you make it 600 miles Skaggs answered  as if a Sandy Beach laid just over the horizon   Ramsay frowned and stared around the crowded  raft his eyes fell on a group of convicts who   were in hushed conversation finally he spoke  in a tone heavy with Gloom I don't believe any   of us God-fearing men will see Deliverance  while we're surrounded by this lot of scum the sea remained calm for the next five days  the raft passengers settled into a routine of   disciplined rationing the cruel Sun Beat Down  relentlessly turning the raft into a fiery hell   there was a desperate longing to drop into  the water and cool their bodies but already   the Sharks were gathering in anticipation of  an easy meal the semen threw buckets of salt   water on the canvas awning but it only  served to heighten the humidity beneath   already the mood on the raft had begun to swing  from Melancholy to treachery men who had endured   two months of confinement in the dark hold of the  Gladiator now became troubled without the security   of the ship's Hull and with being encompassed  by nothingness the convicts began to regard   the sailors and the soldiers with ferocious looks  and mutterings that did not go unnoticed by skags   he ordered Lieutenant Shepard to have his men  keep their muskets loaded and primed at all times Jess Dorset studied the tall woman with the golden  hair she was sitting alone beside the forward mast   there was an aura of tough passivity about  her a manner of overlooking the hardships   without expectations she appeared not  to notice the other female convicts   seldom conversing choosing to remain aloof and  quiet she was Dorset decided a woman of values   he sneaked toward her through the bodies  packed on board the raft until he was   stopped by the hard gaze of a soldier  who motioned him back with a musket   Dorset was a patient man and waited until the  guards changed shifts the replacement promptly   began leering at the women who quickly taunted  him Dorset took advantage of the diversion to   move until he was at the imaginary boundary line  dividing the men from the women the blonde woman   did not notice her blue eyes were fixed on  something only she could see in the distance looking for England he asked smiling she  turned and stared at him as if making   up her mind whether to Grace him with  an answer a small village in Cornwall   where you were arrested no that was in Falmouth  for attempting to murder Queen Victoria   her eyes sparkled and she laughed  stealing a blanket actually   you must have been cold she became serious   it was for my father he was dying from the  lung disease I'm sorry you're the high women   I was until my horse broke her leg and the queen's  men ran me down and your name is Jess Dorset   it was pleased that she knew who he was  and wondered if she had inquired of him   and you are Betsy Fletcher she answered without  hesitation Betsy Dorsett said with a flourish   consider me your protector I need no fancy High  women she said smartly I confend for myself he motioned Around The Horde jammed on the raft  you may well need a pair of strong hands before   we see hard ground again why should I put my  faith in a man who never got his hands dirty   he stared into her eyes I may have robbed a  few coaches in my time but next to the good   Captain Skaggs I'm most likely the only man  you can trust not to take advantage of a woman   Betsy Fletcher turned and pointed at some evil  looking clouds scutting in their Direction   before a freshening Breeze tell me Mr Dorset  how are you going to protect me from that we're in for it now Captain said  Ramsay we'd better take down the sales   Skaggs nodded grimly cut short lengths  of rope from The Keg of spare cordage and   pass them around tell the poor Devils to fasten  themselves to the raft to resist the turbulence   the sea began to Heap up uncomfortably and the  raft lurched and rolled as the waves began to   sweep over the huddled massive bodies each  passenger clutching their individual length   of rope for dear life the Smart Ones  having tied themselves to the planks   the storm was not half as strong as  the typhoon that did in the Gladiator   but it soon became impossible to tell  where the raft began and the Sea left off   the waves Rose ever higher as the White Caps blew  off their crests some tried to stand to get their   heads above water but the raft was pitching and  rolling savagely they fell back on the planking   almost immediately Dorset used both his and  Betsy's ropes to fasten her to the Mast then   he wrapped himself in the Shroud lines and used  his body to Shield her from the force of the waves   as if to add insult to injury rain squalls pelted  them with the force of stones cast by devils   the disorderly Seas Struck from every direction   the only sound that came above the fury of  the storm was skagg's vehement cursing as   he shouted orders to his crew to add more  lines to secure the mound of provisions   the seamen struggled to lash down the crates  and kegs but a mountainous wave reared up at   that moment and crashed Down Under The Raft and  pushed it deep under the water for the better   part of a minute there was no one on that pathetic  craft who didn't believe they were about to die   Skaggs held his breath and closed his  eyes and swore without opening his mouth   the weight of the water felt as though it was  crushing the life out of him for what seemed   on eternity the raft sluggishly Rose through  a swirling mass of foam into the wind again   those who hadn't been swept into the sea  inhaled deeply and coughed out the salt water   the captain looked around the raft and was  appalled the entire massive Provisions had   been carried away and had disappeared  as if they had never been loaded aboard   what was even more horrendous was that the bulk of  the crates and kegs had carved an Avenue through   the pack of convicts maiming and thrusting them  from the raft with the force of an avalanche   their pathetic cries for help went unanswered The  Savage sea made any attempt at rescue impossible   and the lucky ones could only mourn the  bitter death of their recent companions   the raft and its suffering passengers endured the  storm through the night pounded by the wash that   constantly rolled over them by the following  morning the sea had begun to ease off and the   wind dwindled to a light southerly Breeze but they  still kept an eye out for the occasional Renegade   wave that lurked out of sight before Sweeping in  and catching the half-drawn survivors off guard   when Skaggs was finally able to stand and to  praise the total extent of the damage he was   shocked to find that not one keg of food or water  had been spared from the violence of the sea   another disaster The Masks were  reduced to a few shreds of canvas   he ordered Ramsay and Shepherd to take  account of the missing the number came to 27.   Shepard shook his head sadly  as he stared at the survivors   for beggars they look like drowned rats have  the crew spread what's left of the sails and   catch as much rain water as possible before the  Squall stops skags ordered Ramsay we no longer   have containers to store it Ramsay said solemnly  and what will we use for sales after everybody   drinks their fill we'll repair what we can of the  canvas and continue on our east Southeast heading as life re-emerged on the rafts Dorset  untied himself from the mass shrouds   and gripped Betsy by the shoulders  are you harmed he asked attentively   she peered at him through long strands of  hair that were plastered against her face   I won't be attending no royal ball looking like a  drenched cat soaked as I am I'm glad to be alive   it was a bad night he said grimly  and I fear it won't be the last   even as Dorset comforted her the sun returned  with a vengeance without the awning torn   Away by the onslaught of the wind and waves  there was no protection from the day's Heat   the torment of hunger and thirst soon followed  every morsel of food that could be found among   the planks was quickly eaten the little rainfall  caught by the torn canvas sails was soon gone when their tattered remains were raised again  the sails had little effect and proved almost   worthless for moving the raft if the wind  came from a Stern The Vessel was manageable   but attempting to attack only served to twist the  raft into an uncontrollable position crosswise   with its beam to the wind the inability to  command the direction of the raft only added   to Skaggs mounting frustrations having saved his  precious navigational instruments by clutching   them to his breast during the worst of the  deluge he now took a fix on the raft's position   and he nearer to land Captain asked Ramsay I'm  afraid not Skaggs said Gravely the storm drove   us north and west we're farther away from New  Zealand than we were at this time two days ago   we won't last long in the southern hemisphere  in the dead of Summer without fresh water   Skaggs gestured toward a pair of fins cutting  the water 50 feet from the raft if we don't   sight a boat within four days Mr Ramsey I fear the  Sharks will have themselves a Sumptuous banquet the Sharks did not have long to wait the  second day after the storm the bodies of those   who succumbed from injuries sustained during the  Raging Seas were slipped over the side and quickly   disappeared in a disturbance of bloody foam  one monster seemed particularly ravenous Skaggs   recognized it as a great white feared as the  Sea's greediest murder machine he estimated its   length to be somewhere between 22 and 24 feet the  horror was only beginning Dorset was the first to   have a premonition of the atrocities that the poor  wretches on the raft would inflict upon themselves   they're up to something he said to Betsy I don't  like the way they're staring at the women who are   you talking about she asked through parched lips  she had covered her face with a tattered scarf   but her bare arms and her legs below the skirt  were already burned and blistered from the Sun   that scurvy lot of Smugglers at the stern of the  raft led by the murder and Welshman Jake Huggins   Eda soon slit your gulletus give you the time  of day I'll wait you're there planning a mutiny   Betsy stared vacantly around the body sprawled  on the raft why would they want to take command   of this I mean to find out said Dorset as he  began making his way over the convicts slouched   about the damp planking oblivious to everything  around them while suffering from a burning thirst   he moved awkwardly anointed how stiff his joints  had become with no exercise except holding onto   ropes he was one of the few who dared approach  the conspirators and he muscled his way through   Huggins henchmen they ignored him as they muttered  to themselves in low tones and cast Fierce looks   at Shepard and his infantrymen what brings  you knows in around Dorset grunted Huggins   The Smuggler was short and squat with a barrel  chest long-matted Sandy hair an extremely large   flattened nose and an enormous mouth with  missing and blackened teeth which combined   to give him a hideous leer I figured you could  use a good man to help you take over the raft   you want to get in on the spoils  and live a while longer do you   I see no spoils that can prolong our  suffering Dorset said indifferently   Huggins laughed showing his rotting teeth the  women you fool we're all dying from thirst and   the damnable Heat and you want sex for a famous  high women you're an idiot Huggins said irritably   we don't want to lay the Little Darlings the idea  is to cut them up and eat their tender flesh we   can save the likes of bully Skaggs his sailor boys  and the soldiers for when we really gets hungry   the first thought that struck Dorset was  that Huggins was making a disgusting joke   but the inspired evil that lurked in his eyes  and the ghastly grin plainly demonstrated   that it was no play of words the thought was so  vile it filled Dorset with horror and revulsion   but he was a consummate actor  and gave an uncaring shrug   what's the hurry we might be rescued by  this time tomorrow there won't be no ship   or Island on the horizon anytime soon Huggins  paused his ugly face contorted with depravity   you with us High women I've got nothing to  lose by throwing in with you Jake Dorset   said with a tight smile but the big blonde  woman is mine do what you will with the rest   I can see you've taken a liking to her  but my boys and I share and share a like   I'll let you have first claim after that  she's divided up fair enough Dorset said dryly   when do we make our move one hour after  Dark and my signal we attack the Soldier   Boys and go for their muskets once we are armed  we'll have no trouble with Skaggs and his crew   since I've already established a place  by the forward Mast I'll take care of   the soldier guarding the women if you want  to be first in line for supper is that it   just hearing you talk about it said  Dorset sardonically makes me hungry Dorsett returned to Betsy's side but said nothing  to her about the terror about to be Unleashed by   the convicts he knew Huggins and his men were  observing his every move making certain he was   not making a furtive effort to warn the Gladiators  crew and the soldiers his only opportunity would   come with Darkness and he had to move before  Huggins gave his signal to launch the horror   he lay is near to Betsy as the guard would  allow and appeared to doze away the afternoon as soon as dust covered the Sea and the Stars  appeared Dorset left Betsy and snaked his   way to within a few feet of first officer  Ramsey and hailed him in a hushed whisper   Ramsay do not move or act as  if you're listening to anyone   what is this Ramsay blurted under his breath  what do you want listen to me Dorset said Softly   within the hour the convicts led by Jake  Huggins are going to attack the soldiers   if they are successful in killing them all they  will use their arms against you and your crew   why should I believe the words of a common  Criminal you'll all be dead if you don't I'll tell   the captain Ramsay said grudgingly just remind him  it was Jess Dorset who warned you Dorsett broke   off and crawled back to Betsy he removed his left  boot Twisted off the soul and heal and removed a   small knife with a four inch blade then he sat  back to wait a quarter moon was beginning to   rise over the horizon giving the pitiful creatures  on board the raft the look of Ghostly wraiths some   of whom suddenly began rising to their feet and  moving toward the prohibited area in the center fine Huggins shouted leaping forward and  leading a surge of Flesh toward the soldiers   half out of their minds with thirst the mass of  prisoners Unleashed their hatred for authority and   made a rush toward the middle of the raft from all  sides a volley of musket fire cut holes in their   ranks and the unexpected resistance stunned them  momentarily Ramsay had passed on dorset's alarm to   skags and Shepherd the infantryman muskets loaded  and bayonets fixed weighted along with Skaggs and   his crew who had been armed with the soldiers  Sabers The Carpenter's Hammers and hatchets and   any other weapon they could scrape up don't give  him time to reload boys Huggins Road strike hard   the massive maddened mutineers rushed forward  again met this time with thrusting bayonets   and slashing sabers yet nothing diminished  their rage they threw themselves against   the cold steel several of them grasping  the sharpened blades in their bare hands   desperate men grappled and sliced each other  on a Black Sea Under the Eerie moonlight   the Soldiers and Sailors fought furiously every  inch of the raft was occupied by men fighting   savagely to kill each other the bodies piled up  and tangling the feet of the combatants blood   flowed on the deck planking making it difficult  to stand if not impossible to rise after falling   in the darkness now oblivious to their thirst  and hunger they blindly fought and slaughtered   the only sounds made by the combatants were the  cries of the wounded and the moans of the dying the Sharks as if sensing a bounty began  circling ever closer the high-pointed fin of   the Executioner the name the seamen gave the great  white silently carved through the water less than   five feet from the raft none of the unfortunates  who fell in the water climbed on board again   pierced by five saber wounds  Huggins staggered toward Dorset   a large splintered board in an upraised  hand you bloody traitor he hissed   Dorset hunched and held the knife out in front  of his body step forward and die he said calmly   infuriated Huggins yelled back it is  you who will feed the sharks High women   then he put his head down and charged  swinging the board like a scythe at the instant Huggins lunged at him Dorset  dropped to his hands and knees unable to   check his momentum the enraged weltzman stumbled  over him and fell crashing heavily to the deck   before he could raise himself up Dorset had leaped  on the immense back reversed the knife in his hand   and slashed tuggin's throat you'll not be dining  on the ladies this night Dorset said fiercely as   huggin's body stiffened before going limp in death  Dorset killed three more men that fateful night   at one stage of the battle he was assaulted by  a small group of Huggins followers who were set   on ravaging the women foot to foot man to man  they struggled and labored to murder each other   Betsy appeared and fought at his side screaming  like a banshee and clawing at dorset's enemies   like a tiger dorset's only wound came from a man  who gave out a fiendish yell before biting him   cruelly in the shoulder the bloody brawl raged on  for another two hours Skaggs and his semen Shepard   and his infantrymen fought desperately beating  off every assault and then counter-attacking   again and again the mad rush was pushed back  by the ever-thinning ranks of the Defenders who   desperately clung to the center of the raft  Shepard went down garotted by two convicts   Ramsay suffered severe contusions  and Skaggs had two ribs broken   sadly the convicts had managed to kill two of the  women and tossed them overboard during the melee   then at last having been decimated  with Dreadful casualties one by one   two by two the mutineers began ebbing  back to the Outer Perimeter of the raft by daylight the dead were seen  sprawling grotesquely around on the raft   the stage was set for the next  hideous Act of the Macabre drama   as the surviving sailors and soldiers looked on  incredulously the convicts began cutting up and   devouring their former comrades it was a scene  out of a nightmare Ramsay made a rough count of   the remaining survivors and was shocked to see  that only 78 out of the 231 were still alive   in the senseless battle 109 convicts had perished  five of Shepherd soldiers had vanished presumably   thrown overboard and Ramsay counted 12 of the  Gladiators crewman dead or missing it seemed   inconceivable that so few could have subdued so  many but the convicts were not trained for combat   as were shepherds infantrymen or as physically  toughened by hard work at Sea as skagg's crew the raft rode noticeably higher in the water now  that its passenger list was sharply scaled down by   126 or so those parts of the corpses not eaten by  the mob crazed by the agony of hunger were thrown   to the waiting sharks unable to stop them Skaggs  restrained his revulsion and looked the other   way as his crewman also maddened by the demands  of shrinking stomachs began cutting the flesh   from three of the bodies Dorset and Betsy and  most of the other women though weakened by the   Relentless torment of starvation could not bring  themselves to survive on the Flesh of others our   rain Squall came up in the afternoon and slaked  their thirst but the hunger pangs never let up   Ramsay came over and spoke to Dorset  the captain would like a word with you   The Highwayman accompanied the first officer to  where Skaggs was lying his back against the AFT   mast urgeon superintendent Gorman was binding  up the captain's rib cage with a torn shirt   before the dead were rolled into the sea the  ship's surgeon stripped the bodies of their   clothes to use as bandages Skaggs looked  up at Dorset his face talked with pain   I want to thank you Mr Dorset  for your timely warning   I dare say the honest people who are still left  on this hellish vessel owe their lives to you   I've led a wicked life Captain but I  don't mingle with foul smelling rabble   when we reach New South Wales I'll do my best to  persuade the governor to commute your sentence   I'm grateful to you captain I'm under your  orders Skaggs stared at the small knife that was   shoved into dorset's belt sash is that your only  weapon yes sir it performed admirably last night   give him a spare saber skagg said to Ramsay  we're not through with those dogs yet   I agree said Dorset they'll not have the  same Fury without Jake Huggins to lead   them but they're too unhinged by thirst  to give up they'll try again after Dark his words were prophetic for reasons known only  to men deranged by lack of food and water the   convicts assaulted The Defenders two hours after  the sunset the attack was not as Fierce as the   night before wraith-like figures reeled against  each other recklessly clubbing and slashing   the bodies of convicts sailors and  soldiers intermingling as they fell the convicts resolve had been weakened by  another day on the raft without food or drink   and their resistance suddenly faded and  broke as the Defenders counter-attacked   the enfeebled convicts stopped and then stumbled  back Skaggs and his faithful semen smashed into   their Center as Dorset along with Shepard's  few remaining infantrymen Struck from the flank   and another 20 minutes it was all over 52  died that night with the dawn only 25 men   and three women were left out of the 78 from  the night before 16 convicts including Jess   Dorset Betsy Fletcher and two other women  Two Soldiers and ten of the Gladiators crew   including Captain Skaggs first officer Ramsey  was among the Dead surgeon superintendent Gorman   was mortally wounded and passed on later that  afternoon like a lamp that slowly runs out of oil   Dorset had received a nasty gash in his right  thigh and Skaggs had suffered a broken collarbone   to add to his broken ribs amazingly Betsy  had emerged with only minor bruises and cuts the convicts were thoroughly beaten  there wasn't one who didn't suffer from   ugly wounds the insane battle for  the raft of the Gladiator was over by the tenth day of their grisly ordeal another  six had died two young Lads a cabin boy no more   than Twelve and a sixteen-year-old soldier decided  to seek death by throwing themselves into the sea   the other four were convicts  who perished from their wounds   it was as if the rapidly dwindling number of  survivors were watching a terrifying Vision   the sun's blazing torment returned like  a burning fever accompanied by delirium   on day 12 they were down to 18.

Those who  could still move were in rags their bodies   covered with wounds from the massacre faces  disfigured by the burning Sun skin covered   with sores from scraping against the constantly  moving planking and immersion in salt water   they were far beyond despondency and  their Hollow eyes began to see visions   two Siemens swore they saw the Gladiator Dove  off the raft and swam toward the imaginary   ship until they went under or were taken by the  ever-present Executioner and his voracious friends hallucinations conjured up every image from  banquet tables Laden with food and drink to   populated cities or homes none had visited since  childhood Skaggs fancied he was sitting in front   of a fireplace with his wife and children in  his Cottage overlooking the harbor at Aberdeen   he suddenly stared at Dorset through strange eyes  and said we have nothing to fear I have signaled   the admiralty and they have sent a rescuership and  as much of a stupor as the captain Betsy asked him   which pigeon did you use to send  your message the black or the gray dorsett's cracked and peeling lips curled in a  painful smile amazingly he had managed to keep   his wits and had assisted the few seamen who could  still move about in repairing damage to the raft   he found a few scraps of canvas and erected  a small awning over Skaggs while Betsy tended   to the captain's injuries and showed him  the kindest attention the sea captain The   Highwayman and the thief struck up a friendship  as the long hours dragged on his navigational   instruments having been lost over the side during  the fighting Skaggs had no idea of their position   he ordered his men to make an attempt at  catching fish using twine and nails for hooks   bait was human flesh the smaller fish  completely ignored the offer of free food   surprisingly even the Sharks  failed to show an interest Dorset tied a rope to the hilt of a saber and  thrust it into the back of a large shark that   swam close to the raft lacking his former strength  to fight the monster of the deep he wrapped the   free end of the Rope around a mast then he waited  for the shark to die before dragging it on board   his only reward was an empty saber blade  that was bent into a 90 degree angle   two Sailors tried attaching  bayonets to poles as Spears   they punctured several sharks that did  not seem at all disturbed by their wounds they had given up attempting to catch a  meal when later that afternoon a large   school of mullet passed under the raft between  one and three feet long they proved far easier   to spear and throw on the deck of the  raft than the sharks before the school   swam past seven cigar-shaped bodies with forked  Tails were flopping on the waterlogged planks   God hasn't forsaken us mumbled gags staring at  the Silvery fish mullet usually inhabits chalices   I've never seen them in deep water it's as  though he sent them directly to us murmured Betsy   arise wide at the sight of her  first meal in nearly two weeks their hunger was so great and the number of fish  so meager that they added the Flesh of a woman who   had died only an hour before it was the first time  Skaggs Dorset and Betsy had touched human flesh   somehow eating one of their own seemed  oddly Justified when mixed with the fish   and since the taste was partially  disguised it also seemed less disgusting   another gift arrived with a rain Squall that  took nearly an hour to pass over and provided   them with a catch of two gallons of water  despite having their strength temporarily   renewed despondency was still painted on their  faces the wounds and contusions irritated by the   salt water caused unending agony and there was  still the sun which continued to torture them   the air was stifling and the heat intolerable the  knights brought relief and cooler temperatures   but some of the rafts passengers could  not endure the misery of one more day   another five four convicts and the last Soldier  quietly slipped into the sea and perished quickly by the 15th day only Skaggs Dorset Betsy  Fletcher three Sailors and four convicts   one a woman were still alive they were  Beyond caring death seemed unavoidable   the spark of self-preservation had all but gone  out the mullet was long gone and although those   who died had sustained the living the lack of  water and the torrid heat made it impossible   to hold out for more than another 48 hours  before the raft would float empty of life   then an event occurred that diverted attention  from the Unspeakable horrors of the past two weeks   a large greenish brown bird suddenly  appeared out of the sky circled the   raft three times and then lit with a  flutter on a yardarm of the forward mast   it stared down through yellow eyes with BD  black pupils at the pathetic humans on the raft   their clothes and shreds Limbs and faces scarred  from combat and the scorching rays of the Sun   the thought of trying to snare the bird  for food instantly flooded everyone's mind what kind of strange bird is that Betsy asked her  tongue so swollen her voice was like a whisper   it's a Kia Skaggs murmured one  of my former officers kept one   do they fly over the oceans  like gulls asked Dorset   no there are species of parrot that lives on New  Zealand and the surrounding Islands I never heard   of one flying over water unless Skaggs paused  unless it's another message from the Almighty   his eyes took on a distant look as he painfully  Rose to his feet and peered at the horizon   land he exclaimed with joy land to the west of us   unnoticed in their apathy and lethargy  until now the raft was being pushed by the   swells toward a pair of green Mounds rising  from the sea no more than 10 miles distant   everyone turned their eyes Westward and saw  a large island with two low mountains one on   each end and a forest of trees between for a long  moment no one spoke each suspended in expectation   but fixed with the fear that they might be swept  by the currents around their salvation almost all   the Haggard survivors struggled to their knees  and prayed to be delivered on the beckoning Shore   another hour passed before Skaggs determined  that the island was growing larger   the current is pushing us toward it he announced  gleefully it's a miracle a bloody miracle   I know of no Island on any chart in this part  of the sea probably uninhabited guest Dorset   how beautiful Betsy mermaid staring at the  lush green forest separating the two mounts   I hope it has pools of cool water the  unexpected promise of continued life   revived what little strength they had  left and inspired them to take action   any desire of trapping the parrot for dinner  quickly vanished The Feathered messenger   was considered a good omen Skaggs and his few  Siemens had a sale made from the Tetter Dawning   while Dorset and the remaining convicts tore  up planks and feverishly used them as petals   then as if to guide them the parrot took  wing and flew back toward the island   the land mass Rose and spread across the Western  Horizon drawing them like a magnet they rode like   madman determined their sufferings should come  to an end a breeze sprang up from behind pushing   them ever faster toward Sanctuary adding to their  delirium of Hope there would be no more waiting   for death with resignation Deliverance  was down to less than three miles away   with the last of his strength one of the sailors  climbed the Mast shrouds to a yardarm shielding   his eyes from the sun he squinted over the sea  what do you make of the shoreline demanded skags   looks like we're coming to a coral reef  surrounding a lagoon Skaggs turned to Dorset   and Fletcher if we can't make entry through a  channel the breakers will pile us up on the reef   30 minutes later the sailor on the Mast called out  I see a blue water Passage through the outer Reef   200 yards off to starboard rigor Rudder Skaggs  ordered his few crewmen quickly then he turned   to the convicts every man and woman who has  the brawn grab a plank and pedal for your life   a dreadful fear appeared with the crashing of  Breakers onto the outer Reef the waves struck   and burst in an explosion of pure white foam the  boom of water crashing into Coral came like the   Thunder of Canon the waves grew to a mountainous  height as the sea floor Rose when they neared land   Terror replaced desperation as the occupants  of the raft envisioned the destruction that   would occur if they were dashed Against The  Reef by the crushing force of the breakers   Skaggs took the jury-rigged tiller under one arm  and steered toward the channel as his Sailors   worked the tattered Sail the convicts looking  like ragged scarecrows peddled ineffectually   their feeble efforts did very little to propel  the raft only with everyone paddling on the same   side at the same time as gags ordered could  they assist him in steering for the channel   the raft was overtaken by a wall of churning  froth that swept It Forward at a terrible speed   for one brief moment it was elevated on the  crest the next it plunged into the trough   two of the male convicts were swept into the  blue-green turbulence and never seen again   the sea worn raft was breaking up the ropes  chafed and stretched by the constant rolling   of the sea began to fray and part the  framework of masts that supported the deck   planking twisted and began splitting the raft  groaned when inundated by the following wave   to Dorset the immovable coral reef looked close  enough to reach out and touch and then they were   swept into the channel between the jagged edges  of the reef The Surge carried them through the   raft spinning around pieces of it whirling  into the sun sparkled sea like a Roman Candle   as the Mainframe of the raft disintegrated around  them the survivors were thrown into the water   once past the Barrier Reef the blue contorted sea  became as gentle as a mountain lake and turned   to Bright turquoise Dorset came up choking one  arm locked around Betsy's waist can you swim he   coughed she shook her head violently sputtering  out the sea water she'd swallowed not a stroke   he pulled her along as he swam toward one of the  rafts masts which was floating less than 10 feet   away he soon reached it and draped Betsy's arms  over the curved surface he hung on beside her   gasping for breath heart pounding his weakened  body exhausted from the exertion of the last hour   after taking a minute or two to recover Dorset  looked about the floating wreckage and took count Skaggs and two of his Sailors were a short  distance away and still among the living   climbing aboard a small section of planking  that was miraculously still tied together   already they were ripping  off boards to use as paddles   of the convicts he spotted Two Men  and the woman floating in the water   clinging to various bits and pieces of  what remained of the raft of the Gladiator Dorset turned and looked toward the shore  a beautiful white sandy beach beckoned less   than a quarter of a mile away then he  heard a nearby Shout you and Betsy hang   on Skaggs hailed him we'll pick you and  the others up and then work towards Shore   Dorset waved in reply and gave Betsy a kiss on  the forehead mind you don't let me down now old   girl we'll be walking dry land in half an hour  he broke off in sudden Panic his Joy short-lived   the tall fin of a great white shark was  circling the wreckage in search of new prey   the Executioner had followed them into the Lagoon  it wasn't fair Dorset screamed inside his mind   to have endured suffering Beyond imagination only  to have salvation snatched from their fingertips   by the jaws of death was a foul Injustice few were  the men and women to have been more unfortunate   he clutched Betsy tightly in his arms and  watched with morbid Terror as the Finn   stopped circling headed in their Direction  and slowly slipped beneath the surface   his heart froze as he waited helplessly for  the jagged teeth to snap shut on his body then without warning the second Miracle occurred  the calm Waters of the Lagoon under them abruptly   turned into a boiling cauldron then a great  fountain-like gush burst into the air followed   by the great white shark the murderous Beast  thrashed about wildly its awesome Jaws snapping   like a vicious dogs at a huge sea serpent that was  coiled around it everyone clutching the floating   wreckage stared dumbstruck at the life and death  struggle between the two Monsters of the deep from   his position on his scrap of raft Skaggs had a  good seat to observe the struggle the body of the   enormous eel-like creature stretched from a blunt  head to a long tapering Tale Skaggs estimated the   length of the body to be 60 to 65 feet with  the circumference of a large flower Barrel   the mouth on the end of the head opened and closed  spasmodically revealing short fang-like teeth   the skin scared smooth and was a dark brown on the  upper surface of the body almost black while the   belly was an ivory White Skaggs had often heard  Tales of ships citing Serpentine sea monsters   but had laughed them off as the visions of sailors  after drinking too much rum in Port Frozen in awe   he was not laughing now as he watched The Once  feared executioner writhe violently in a futile   attempt to shake off its deadly attacker  the compact cartilaginous body of the shark   prevented it from contorting its head and Jaws  far enough backward to bite into the serpent   despite its tremendous strength and its frenzied  convulsions it could not shake the death grip   revolving around incomplete circles with great  speed shark and serpent writhed beneath the   surface before reappearing in an explosion  of spray that beat the water into froth again   the serpent then began biting into the  shark's gill slits after another few minutes   the gargantuan combat faded the Sharks agonized  struggle ceased and the two monsters slowly sank   out of sight in the deepest part of the Lagoon  the hunter had become the meal of another Hunter   Skaggs wasted no time after the epic battle  in pulling the bedraggled convicts from the   water onto the small piece of the raft that still  hung together stunned by what they had witnessed   the pitifully few survivors finally reached  the white sandy beach and staggered ashore   carried at last from their nightmare world to a  Garden of Eden as yet unknown to European Mariners   a stream of pure water was soon found  that ran from the volcanic Mountain   that Rose above the southern end of  the island five different varieties   of tropical fruit grew in the forested  area and the Lagoon was teeming with fish   their perils over only eight out of the original  231 who set out on the raft of the Gladiator   lived to tell about the horrors of their 15 days  adrift in the sweltering emptiness of the sea six months after the tragic loss of the Gladiator  its memory was briefly revived when a fisherman   coming ashore to repair a leak in his small boat  discovered a hand gripping a sword protruding   from the beach digging the object from the  sand he was surprised to find a life-sized   image of an ancient warrior he carried the wooden  sculpture 50 miles north to Auckland New Zealand   where it was identified as the figurehead  of the Lost Clipper ship Gladiator   eventually cleaned and refinished the  warrior was placed in a small Maritime Museum   where onlookers often stared at it and pondered  The Mystery of the ship's disappearance the Enigma of the Clipper ship Gladiator  was finally explained in July of 1858   by an article that ran in the Sydney  Morning Herald returned from the dead the seas around Australia have witnessed many a  strange sight but none so strange as the sudden   appearance of Captain Charles bully Skaggs  reported missing and presumed dead when his   Clipper the Gladiator honors Carlisle and  Dunhill of Inverness vanished in the Tasman   Sea during the terrible typhoon of January  1856 when only 300 miles Southeast of Sydney   Captain Skaggs astonished Everyone by sailing  into Sydney Harbor in a small vessel he and   his only surviving crewman had constructed  during their sojourn on an Uncharted Island   the ship's figurehead washed up on the west  coast of New Zealand one and a half years ago   confirmed the loss of the ship until Captain  skagg's miraculous return no word on how his   ship was lost or the fate of the 192 convicts  being transported to the penal colony or the 11   soldiers and 28 crewmen was known according to  Captain Skaggs only he and two others were cast   up on an uninhabited Island where they survived  extreme hardships for over two years until they   could build a vessel with tools and materials  salvaged from the wreckage of another unfortunate   ship that was driven ashore a year later with  the loss of her entire crew they constructed   the hull of their craft from wood cut from the  native trees they found growing on the island   Captain Skaggs and his crewman  Thomas Cochran the ship's Carpenter   seemed remarkably fit after their ordeal and were  anxious to board the next chip Bound for England   they expressed their profound sorrow for the  tragic deaths of the Gladiators passengers and   their former Shipmates all of whom perished  when the Clipper sank during the typhoon   incredibly Skaggs and Cochrane managed to  cling to a piece of floating wreckage for   several days before currents carried them onto  the deserted Islands Beach more dead than alive   the tiny piece of land where the men existed  for over two years cannot be precisely plotted   since Skaggs lost all his navigational  instruments at the time of the sinking   his best Reckoning puts the Uncharted Island  approximately 350 miles east Southeast of Sydney   an area other ship's captains  claim is devoid of land   Lieutenant Silas Shepard whose parents reside in  Hornsby and his Detachment of ten men from the New   South Wales Infantry Regiment who were guarding  the convicts were also listed among the Lost the Legacy September 17 1876.

Aberdeen Scotland  after Skaggs returned to England and a brief   reunion with his wife and children Carlisle and  Dunhill offered him command of their newest and   finest clipper ship the Culloden and sent him  to engage in the China Tea trade after six more   grueling voyages in which he set two records  bully Skaggs retired to his Cottage in Aberdeen   worn out at the early age of 47. the captains of  clipper ships were men grown old before their time   the demands of sailing the world's fleetest  ships took a heavy toll on body and spirit   most died while still young a great number went  down with their ships they were an elite breed the   famed Iron Man Who drove Wooden Ships to unheard  of speeds during the most romantic era of the sea   they went to their graves under grass  or beneath the waves knowing they had   commanded the greatest sailing vessels ever  built by man tough as the beams inside his   ships Skaggs was taking his last Voyage at 59.  having built up a tidy Nest Egg by investing in   owner's shares on his last four voyages he was  providing his children with a sizable Fortune   alone after the death of his beloved wife Lucy  and his children grown with families of Their Own   he maintained his love for the Sea by  sailing in and around the firths of   Scotland in a small catch he'd built with his  own hands it was after a brief Voyage Through   bitterly cold weather to visit his son and  grandchildren at peterhead that he took sick   a few days before he died Skaggs sent for his  longtime friend and former employer Abner Carlisle   a respected shipping magnet who built a sizable  Fortune with his partner Alexander Dunhill   Carlisle was a leading resident of Aberdeen  besides his Shipping Company he also owned   a Mercantile business and a bank his favorite  Charities were the local library and the hospital   Carlisle was a thin wiry man completely bald  he had kindly eyes and walked with a noticeable   limp caused by a fall off a horse when he was  a young man he was shown into skagg's house   by the captain's daughter Jenny whom Carlisle had  known since she was born she embraced him briefly   and took him by the hand good of you to come  Abner he's been asking for you every half hour   how is the old Sea Dog I fear his days are  numbered she answered with a trace of sadness   Carlisle looked around the comfortable  house filled with nautical Furniture   the walls holding charts marked with  daily runs during skagg's record voyages   I'm going to miss this house my brothers  say it is best for the family if we sell it   she led Carlisle upstairs and threw an Open Door  into a bedroom with a large window that overlooked   Aberdeen Harbor father Abner Carlisle is  here about time Skaggs muttered grumpily   Jenny gave Carlisle a pic on the  cheek I'll go and make some tea an old man ravaged by three decades of a hard  life at Sea lay unmoving on the bed as bad as gags   looked Carlisle couldn't help but Marvel at the  fire that still burned in those olive gray eyes   I've got a new ship for you bully the hell  you say rasp skags what's your rigging   none she's a steamer skagg's face  turned red and he raised his head   goddamn stink pots they shouldn't be allowed to  dirty up the Seas it was the response Carlyle had   hoped for Bully skags may have been at death's  door but he was going out as tough as he lived   times have changed my friend cut his Sark and  Thermopylae are the only Clippers you and I knew   that are still working the Seas I don't have much  time for idle chatter I asked you to come to hear   my deathbed confession and do me a personal favor  Carlisle looked at Skaggs and said sarcastically   you thrash a drunk or bet a Chinese girl in  a Shanghai brother you never told me about   I'm talking about the Gladiator Skaggs muttered   I lied about her she sank in a typhoon  Carlisle said what was there to lie about   she sank in a typhoon all right but the passengers  and crew didn't go down to the bottom with her   Carlisle was silent for several  moments then he said carefully   Charles bully Skaggs you're the most honest man  I have ever known in the half century we've known   each other you've never betrayed a trust are  you sure it isn't the sickness that's making   you say crazy things trust me now when I say I've  lived a lie for 20 years in repayment of a debt   Carlisle stared at him curiously  what is it you wish to tell me   a story I've told no one Skaggs leaned back  on his pillow and stared Beyond Carlisle far   into the distance at something only he could  see the story of the raft of the Gladiator Jenny returned half an hour later with tea it  was Dusk and she lit the oil lamps in the bedroom   father you must try to eat something  I've made your favorite fish chowder   I have no appetite daughter Abner must  be starved listening to you all afternoon   I'll wager he'll eat something give us another  hour ordered skags then make us eat what you will   as soon as she was gone Skaggs continued with The  Saga of the raft when we finally got ashore there   were eight of us left of the Gladiators crew  only myself Thomas Cochran the ship's Carpenter   and Alfred Reed enabled Seaman survived among  the convicts there was just Dorset Betsy Fletcher   Marion Adams George Pryor and John winkelmann  eight out of the 231 Souls who set sail from   England you'll have to excuse me dear old  friend said Carlisle if I appear skeptical   scores of men murdering each other on a raft in  the middle of the ocean the survivors subsisting   on human flesh and then being saved from being  devoured by a man-eating shark through the   divine intervention of a sea serpent that kills  the shark an unbelievable tale to say the least   you are not listening to the ravings of  a dying man Skaggs assured him weekly   the account is true every word of it  Carlisle did not want to unduly upset Skaggs   the wealthy old Merchant patted the arm  of the sea captain who in no small way   had helped to build a shipping Empire of  Carlisle and Dunhill and reassured him   go on I'm anxious to hear the ending what happened  after the eight of you set foot on the island for the next half hour Skaggs told of  how they drank their fill in a stream   with sweet and pleasant water that ran  from one of the small volcanic mountains   he described the large turtles  that were caught in the lagoon   thrown on their backs and butchered with dorset's  knife the only tool among them then using a hard   Stone found at the water's edge and the knife as  Flint they built a fire and cooked the turtle meat   five different kinds of fruit that skags had never  seen before were picked from trees in the forest   the vegetation seemed oddly different from the  plant seed seen in Australia he recounted how   the survivors passed the next few days gorging  themselves until they regained their strength with our bodies on the mend we set out to explore  the islands gags said continuing his narration   it was shaped like a fishhook five miles  in length and a little less than one wide   two massive volcanic Peaks each about 12  to 1500 feet high stood at the extreme ends   the Lagoon measured about three quarters of a mile  long and was sheltered by a thick Reef to seaward   the rest of the island was buttressed by high  cliffs did you find it deserted asked Carlisle   not a living Soul did we see nor animal only Birds  we saw signs that Aborigines had once inhabited   the island but it appeared they had been gone a  long time any evidence of shipwrecks not at that   time after the Calamity on the raft the island  must have seemed like paradise said Carlisle   she was the most beautiful island I've  seen in my many years at Sea Skaggs agreed   referring to his place of refuge and The Feminine  a magnificent Emerald on a sapphire sea she was   he hesitated as if envisioning the jewel rising  out of the Pacific we soon settled into an idyllic   way of life I designated those to be in charge of  certain services and appointed times for fishing   the construction and repair of shelter  the harvesting of fruit and other edibles   and the maintenance of a constant fire for cooking  as well as to Signal any ship that might pass by   in this manner we live together  in peace for several months I'm Keen to guess said Carlisle  trouble flared between the women   skag shook his head feebly more  like among the men over the women   so you experience the same circumstances  as the bounty mutineers on Pitcairn Island   exactly I knew there would soon be trouble and I  designed a schedule for the women to be divided   equally among the men not a scheme to everybody's  liking of course especially the women but I knew   of no other way to prevent bloodshed under the  circumstances I would have to agree with you all I succeeded in doing was hastening the  inevitable the convict John winkelmann murdered   Abel Seaman Reed over Marion Adams and Jess  Dorset refused to share Betsy Fletcher with anyone   when George Pryor attempted to rape Fletcher  Dorsett beat his brains in with a rock   and then you were six Skaggs nodded Tranquility  finally rained on the island when John winkelmann   married Marion Adams and Jess married Betsy  married Carlisle snorted in righteous indignation   how was that possible have you forgotten Abner  skagg said with a grin cracking his thin lips   as the ship's Captain I was  empowered to perform the ceremony   by not actually standing on the deck of your  ship I must say you stretched matters a bit   I have no regrets we all lived in harmony until  ships Carpenter Thomas Cochrane and I sailed away   did you and Cochrane not have desire for the women   skagg's laughter turned into a brief coughing  spell Carlisle gave him a glass of water   when he recovered skagg said whenever  my thoughts became carnal I envisioned   my sweet wife Lucy I vowed to her that I would  always return from a voyage as chaste as I left   and the carpenter cochraneous fate would  have it preferred the company of men   it was Carlisle's turn to laugh you picked  a strange lot to share your adventures   before long we had built comfortable shelters out  of rock and conquered boredom by constructing many   ingenious devices to make our existence more  enjoyable Cochran's carpentry scale became   particularly useful once we found proper  woodworking tools how did this come about after about 14 months a severe Gale drove  a French naval Sloop onto the rocks at the   southern end of the island despite our efforts  to save them the entire crew perished as the   pounding of the breakers broke up their ship  around them when the Seas calmed two days later   we recovered 14 bodies and buried them  next to George Pryor and Alfred Reed   then Dorset and I who were the strongest swimmers  launched a diving operation to recover whatever   objects from the wreck we might find useful  within three weeks we had salvaged a small   mountain of goods materials and tools Cochrane and  I now possess the necessary implements to build a   boat sturdy enough to carry us to Australia  what of the women how did Betsy and Marion   Fair queried Carlisle skagg's eyes took on a sad  look poor Marion she was kind and true a modest   servant girl who had been convicted of stealing  food from her master's pantry she died giving   birth to a daughter John winkelmann was horribly  distraught he went mad and tried to kill the baby   we tied him to a tree for four days until  he finally got hold of his senses but he   was never quite the same again he rarely spoke  a word from that time until I left the island   and Betsy Cut From a Different Cloth that one  strong as a coal miner she carried her weight with   any man gave birth to two boys in as many years  as well as nursing Marion's child Dorset and Betsy   were devoted to each other why didn't they come  with you best they stayed on the island I offered   to plead for their release with the governor but  they didn't dare take the chance and rightly so   as soon as they'd have landed in Australia the  penal constables would have grabbed the children   and distributed them as orphans Betsy's fate was  probably to become a wool spinner in the filthy   squalor of the female Factory at Parramatta while  Jess was sure to end up in the convict Barracks   at Sydney they'd likely never have seen their  boys and each other again I promised them that   as long as I lived they'd remained forgotten  along with the Lost Souls of the Gladiator   and winkelman too skags nodded he moved to a cave  inside the mountain at the North End of the island   and lived alone Carlisle sat silent and reflected  on the remarkable story Skaggs had related all these years you've never  revealed that existence I found out later that if I had broken  my promise to remain silent that bastard   of a governor in New South Wales  would have sent a ship to get them   he had a reputation for moving  hell to regain an escaped prisoner   Skaggs moved his head slightly and stared  through the window at the ships in the harbor   after I returned home I saw no reason to  tell the story of the gladiator's raft   you never saw them again after you  and Cochran set sail for Sydney   skagg shook his head a tearful goodbye it was too  Betsy and Jess standing on the beach holding their   baby boys and Marion's daughter looking for  all the world like a happy mother and father   they found a life that wasn't possible in the  Civilized world he spat out the word civilized   and Cochran what was to stop him from  speaking out skagg's eyes glimmered faintly   as I mentioned he also had a secret he didn't  want known certainly not if he ever wished to go   to Sea again he went down with the Zanzibar when  she was lost in the South China Sea back in 67.   haven't you ever wondered how they made out  no need to wonder Skaggs replied slightly   I know Carlisle's eyebrows raised  I'd be grateful for an explanation   four years after I departed an American Whaler  sighted the island and stood in to fill her   water casks Jess and Betsy met the crew and traded  fruits and fresh fish for cloth and cooking pots   they told the captain of the whaler that  they were missionaries who were stranded   on the island after their ship had been wrecked  before long other Whalers began stopping by for   water and Food Supplies one of the ships traded  Betsy seeds for hats she'd woven out of Palms   and she and Jess began tilling several  Acres of arable land for vegetables   how do you know all this they began sending out  letters with the Whalers they're still alive   asked Carlisle his interest aroused skag's eyes  saddened Jess died while fishing six years ago   a sudden Squall capsized his boat Betsy said  it looked as if he struck his head and drowned   her last letter along with a packet arrived only  two days ago you'll find it in the center drawer   of my desk she wrote that she was dying  from some sort of disease of the stomach   Carlisle Rose and crossed the bedroom to a worn  Captain's desk that Skaggs had used on all his   voyages after the Gladiator went down he pulled a  small packet wrapped in oil skin from the drawer   and opened it inside he found a Leather Pouch and  a folded letter he returned to his chair slipped   on his reading glasses and glanced at the words  for a girl convicted of theft she writes very well   her earlier letters were full of misspellings  but Jess was an educated man and under his   tutelage Betsy's grammar showed great  Improvement Carlisle began reading aloud my dear Captain Skaggs I pray you are in good  health this will be my last letter to you as   I have a malady of the stomach or so the doctor  aboard the whaling ship Amy and Jason tells me   so I will soon be joining my Jess I have  a last request that I pray you will honor   in the first week of April of this year my  two sons and Marian's daughter Mary Departed   the island on board of Whaler whose Captain was  sailing from here to Auckland for badly needed   repairs to his Hull after a brush with a coral  reef there the children were to book passage   on a ship Bound for England and then eventually  make their way to you in Aberdeen I have written   to ask you dearest friend to take them under  your roof upon their arrival and arrange for   their education at the finest schools England has  to offer I would be eternally grateful and I know   Jess would share the same sentiments rest his  dear departed soul if you will honor my request   I have included my legacy for your services and  whatever cost it takes to see them through school   they are very bright children and will be  diligent in their studies with deepest regret   I wish you a loving farewell Betsy Dorset one  final thought the serpent sends his regards   Carlisle peered over his glasses the serpent  sends his regards what nonsense is that   the sea serpent who saved us from the great white  shark answered Skaggs turned out he lived in the   lagoon I saw him with my own eyes on at least  four other occasions during my time on the island   Carlisle looked at his old friend as if he were  drunk then thought better of pursuing the matter   she sent young children alone on a  long Voyage from New Zealand to England not so young said Skaggs the  oldest must be going on 19.   if they left the island the early part of April  they may come knocking on your door at any time   providing they did not have to wait  long in Auckland to find a stout ship   that made a fast Passage my God man  you're in an impossible situation   what you really mean is how can a dying  man carry out an old friend's dying wish   you're not going to die said Carlisle looking  skags in the eye oh yes I am skag said firmly   you're a practical businessman Abner nobody  knows that better than me that's why I asked   to see you before I take my final voyage you  want me to witness Betsy's children they can   live in my house until you drop their anchor in  the best educational institutions money can buy   the pitiful amount that Betsy made selling  hats and Food Supplies to visiting whaling   ships won't come close to covering the cost of  several years of boarding at expensive schools   they'll need the proper clothes and private  tutors to bring them up to proper learning levels   I hope you're not asking me  to provide for total strangers   Skaggs pointed to The Leather  Pouch Carlisle held it up   is this what Betsy sent you to educate her  children Skaggs nodded slightly open it Carlisle   loosened the strings and poured the contents into  his hand he looked up at Skaggs incredulously   is this some sort of a joke these are nothing  but ordinary stones trust me Abner they are not   ordinary Carlisle held up one about the size of a  prune in front of his spectacles and peered at it   the surface of the stone was smooth and  its shape was octahedral having eight sides   this is nothing but some sort of  crystal it's absolutely worthless   take the stones to Levi strauser the Jewish gem  Merchant show the stones to him precious gems they   are not said Carlisle firmly please Skaggs barely  got the word out a long conversation had tired him   As You Wish old friend he pulled out  his pocket watch and looked at the time   I'll call on strausser first thing in the  morning and return to you with his appraisal   thank you Skaggs murmured the  rest will take care of itself Carlisle walked under an early morning drizzle  to the old business district near Castlegate   he checked the address and turned up the  steps to one of the many inconspicuous gray   houses built of local Granite that gave the  City of Aberdeen a salad if drab appearance   small brass letters mounted beside the door read  simply strauser and Sons he pulled the Bell knob   and was shown into a Spartan furnished office  by a clerk offered a chair and a cup of tea a slow minute passed before a short man in a  long frock coat a salt and pepper beard down   to his chest entered through a side door  he smiled politely and extended his hand   I am Levi strausser what service can I perform  for you my name is Abner Carlisle I was sent by   my friend Captain Charles Skaggs Captain Skaggs  sent a messenger who announced your coming I am   honored to have Aberdeen's most renowned Merchant  in my humble office have we ever met we don't   exactly travel in the same Social Circles and  you are not the kind of man who buys jewelry   my wife died young and I never remarried so  there was no reason to purchase expensive bubbles   I too lost the wife at an early  age but I was fortunate enough   to find a lovely woman who bore  me four sons and two daughters Carlisle had often done business with Jewish  Merchants over the years but he had never had   dealings in gemstones it was on unfamiliar  ground and felt uncomfortable with strauser   he took out the Leather Pouch and laid it  on the desk Captain Skaggs requested your   appraisal of the stones inside strausser laid a  sheet of white paper at the desktop and poured   the contents of the pouch in a pile in the  center he counted the stones there were 18.   he took his time and carefully scrutinized each  one through his Loop a small magnifier used by   Jewelers finally he held up the largest  and the smallest Stones one in each hand   if you will kindly be patient Mr Carlisle I would  like to conduct some tests on these two stones   I'll have one of my sons serve you another  cup of tea yes thank you I don't mind waiting   nearly an hour passed before strausser returned to  the room with the two stones Carlisle was a shrewd   Observer of men he had to be to have successfully  negotiated over a thousand business ventures since   he purchased his first ship at the tender age  of 22.

He saw that Levi strauser was nervous   there were no obvious signs no shaking hands  little ticks around the mouth beads of sweat   it was there in the eyes strauser looked like  a man who had beheld God may I ask where these   Stones came from strausser asked I cannot tell  you the exact location Carlisle answered honestly   the minds of India are played out and nothing  like this has come out of Brazil perhaps one of   the new diggings in South Africa it is not for  me to say why is there a value to the stones   you do not know what they are Strauss arrests  in astonishment I am not an expert in minerals   my business is shipping strauser held out his  hands over the stones like an ancient sorcerer   Mr Carlisle these are diamonds the finest uncut  Stones I have ever seen Carlisle covered his   amazement nobly I don't question your integrity  Mr strauser but I can't believe you are serious   my family has dealt in precious stones for five  generations Mr Carlisle believe me when I say you   have a fortune lying on the desk not only do  they have indications of perfect transparency   and clearness but they possess an Exquisite  and very extraordinary Violet rose color   because of their beauty and rarity they command  a higher price than the perfect colorless stones   Carlisle came back on Keel and cut away  the cobwebs what are they worth stones are   almost impossible to classify for Value since  their true qualities do not become apparent   until they are cut and faceted to enhance  the maximum Optical effect and Polished   the smallest you have here weighs 60 carats in the  rough he paused to hold up the largest specimen   this one weighs out at over 980 carats making  it the largest known uncut diamond in the world   I judge that it might be a wise investment  to have them cut before I sell them   or if you prefer I could offer  you a fair price in the rough   Carlisle began to place the stones back in The  Leather Pouch oh no thank you I represent a   dying friend it is my duty to provide him with the  highest profit possible strausser quickly realized   that the Kenny Scotsman could not be influenced  to part with the uncut stones the opportunity to   obtain the diamonds for himself have them faceted  and then sell them on the London market for an   immense gain was not in the cards better to make  a good profit than none at all he decided wisely   you need not go any further than this office  Mr Carlisle two of my son's apprenticed at the   finest diamond cutting house in Antwerp they are  as good if not better than any Cutters in London   once the stones are faceted and Polished I can  act as your broker should you then wish to sell   why should I not sell them on my own for  the same reason I would come to you to ship   goods to Australia instead of buying a ship and  transporting them myself I am a member of the   London Diamond Exchange you are not I can demand  and receive twice the price you might expect   Carlisle was shrewd enough to appreciate  a sound business offer when he heard one   he came to his feet and offered strausser his  hand I placed the stones in your capable hands Mr   strauser I trust it will prove to be a profitable  arrangement for you and the people I represent   you can Bank on it Mr Carlisle as the  Scott's shipping magnet was about to   step from the office he turned and looked  back at the Jewish precious stone dealer   after your sons are finished with the  stones what do you think they will be worth   strausser stared down at the ordinary looking  Stones visualizing them as sparkling crystals   if these Stones came from an unlimited  source that can be easily exploited the   owners are about to launch an  Empire of extraordinary wealth   if you will forgive me for saying so  your appraisal sounds a bit fanciful   strausser looked across the desk at Carlisle and  smiled trust me when I say these Stones when cut   and faceted could sell in the neighborhood of one  million pounds good God Carlisle blurted that much   strausser lifted the huge 980 carats down to the  light holding it between his fingers as if it were   the Holy Grail when he spoke it was in a voice  of adoring reverence perhaps even more much more part one death from nowhere January 14  2000.

Seymour Island Antarctic peninsula   chapter one there was a curse  of death about the island   occurs proven by the graves of men who set  foot on the forbidding Shore never to leave   there was no Beauty here certainly nothing like  the Majestic ice shrouded Peaks the glaciers that   towered almost as high as the White Cliffs of  Dover or the icebergs that floated serenely like   Crystal Castles but one might expect to see on  and around the great landmass of the Antarctic   and its offshore Islands Seymour Island comprised  the largest ice-free surface on or near the whole   continent volcanic dust laid down through the  Millennia hastened the melting of ice leaving dry   valleys and mountains without a Vestige of color  and nearly devoid of all snow it was a singularly   ugly Place inhabited only by few varieties of  lichen and a rookery of a daily Penguins who   found Seymour Island an ample source for the  small stones they used to build their nests   the majority of the Dead buried in  Shallow pits pried from the Rocks came   from a Norwegian Antarctic expedition after  their ship was crushed in the ice in 1859.   they survived two Winters before their food  supply ran out finally dying off one by one   from starvation lost for over a decade their  well-preserved bodies were not found until 1870.   by the British while they were  setting up a whaling station   others died and were laid beneath the rocks  of Seymour Island some succumbed to disease   others to accidents that occurred during the  whaling season a few lost their lives when   they wandered from the station were caught by  an unexpected storm and Frozen by wind chill   surprisingly their graves are well marked Crews  of Whalers caught in the ice past the winter until   the spring melt by chiseling inscriptions on large  stones which they mounted over the burial sites   by the time the British closed the station in  1933 60 bodies lay beneath the loathsome landscape   the Restless ghosts of the explorers and sailors  that roamed The Forsaken ground could never have   imagined that one day their resting place would  be crawling with accountants attorneys plumbers   Housewives and retired senior citizens who  showed up on luxurious pleasure ships to   gawk at the inscribed stones and Ogle the comical  penguins that inhabited a piece of the shoreline   perhaps just perhaps the island would  lay its curse on these Intruders too the impatient passengers aboard the cruise ship  saw nothing ominous about Seymour Island safe and   the comfort of their Floating Palace they saw only  a remote unspoiled and mysterious land rising from   a sea as blue as an iridescent peacock feather  they felt only excitement at a new experience   especially since they were among the first wave of  tourists ever to walk the shores of Seymour Island   this was the third of five scheduled stops as  the ship hopscotched among the islands along   the peninsula certainly not the most attractive  but one of the more interesting according to   the cruise line literature many had traveled  Europe and the Pacific seen the usual exotic   places travelers flocked to around the world now  they wanted something more something different   a visit to a destination few had seen before  a remote place they could set foot on and brag   about to friends and neighbors afterward as  they clustered on the deck near the boarding   ladder in happy anticipation of going ashore  aiming their telephoto lenses at the Penguins   Maeve Fletcher walked among them checking the  bright orange insulated jackets passed out by   the ship's crew staff along with life jackets  for the short trip between the ship and Shore   energetic and inconstant motion she moved about  with a concentrated briskness in a live body that   had seen more than its fair share of vigorous  exercise she towered above the women and stood   taller than most of the men her hair braided in  two long pigtails was as yellow as a summery iris   she stared through eyes as blue as the deep  sea from a strong face with high cheekbones   her lips always seemed parted in a  warm smile revealing a tiny Gap in   the center of her upper teeth tawny's  skin gave her a robust outdoorsy look Maeve was three years shy of thirty  with a master's degree in Zoology   after graduation she took a three-year sabbatical  to gain field experience studying Bird and Animal   life in the polar regions after she returned  to her home in Australia she was halfway   through her dissertation for a doctorate at the  University of Melbourne when she was offered a   temporary job as naturalist and Expedition  leader for passengers of Robert and Saunders   a cruise line based in Adelaide  and specializing in Adventure Tours   it was an opportunity to earn enough money to  finish her dissertation so she dropped everything   and set sail to the great white continent  on board the company's ship polar Queen   this trip there were 91 paying passengers on board  and Maeve was one of four naturalists who were   to conduct the excursions on shore because of  the penguin Rookery the historic building Still   Standing from the whaling operations the cemetery  and the site of the camp where the Norwegian   explorers perished Seymour island was considered  a historical site and a fragile environment   to reduce visitor impact the passengers  were guided ashore at staggered times and   in separate groups for two-hour expeditions  they were also lectured on a code of behavior   they were not to step on lichens or Moss nor step  within five meters of any bird or animal life   nor could they sneak souvenirs not so much as a  small rock most of them were Australians with a   few new zealanders mixed in Maeve was scheduled  to accompany the first party of 22 visitors to   the island she checked off the list of names  as the excited Travelers stepped down the   boarding ladder to awaiting zodiac The Versatile  rubber float craft designed by Jacques Cousteau   as she was about to follow the Last Passenger  the ship's first officer Trevor Haynes stopped   her on the boarding ladder quiet and  quite handsome in the lady's eyes he was   uncomfortable mingling with the passengers and  rarely made an appearance away from the bridge   tell your people not to be alarmed if they see the  ship sailing off he told her she turned and looked   up the steps at him where would you be going  there is a storm brewing a hundred miles out   the captain doesn't want to risk exposing the  passengers to any more rough water than necessary   nor does he want to disappoint them  by cutting short the shore excursions   he intends to steam 20 kilometers up  the coast and drop off another group   at the seal Colony then return in time  to pick you up and repeat the process   putting twice the number ashore in half the  time that's the idea that way we can pack up and   leave and be in the relatively calm Waters of the  bransfield straight before the storm strikes here   I wondered why you didn't drop the anchor Maeve  liked teens he was the only ship's officer who   wasn't continually trying to sweet talk her  into his quarters after late night drinks   I'd expect you in two hours she said with a wave   you have your portable Communicator  should you encounter a problem   she held up the small unit that was attached to  her belt you'll be the first to know say hello to   the Penguins for me I shall as the Zodiac skimmed  over water that was as flat and reflective as a   mirror Maeve lectured her little band of intrepid  tourists on the history behind their destination Seymour Island was first cited by James Clark  Ross in 1842.

40 Norwegian explorers Cast Away   when their ship was crushed in the ice perished  here in 1859 we'll visit the site where they   lived until the end and then take a short walk  to the Hallowed Ground where they are buried   are those the buildings they lived in ask the lady  who must have been pushing 80 pointing to several   structures in a small Bay no answered Maeve what  you see are what remains of an abandoned British   whaling station we'll visit it just before we take  a short hike around that Rocky Point you see to   the South to the penguin rookery does anyone live  on the island ask the same lady the argentinians   have a research station on the Northern tip of the  island how far away Maeve smiled condescendingly   about 30 kilometers there's always one in every  group who has the Curiosity of a four-year-old   she mused they could see the bottom Clearly Now  naked rock with no growth to be seen anywhere   their Shadow followed them about two  fathoms down as they cruised through the bay   no rollers broke on the shoreline the sea ran  smooth right up to the edge lapping the exposed   rock with the slight wash usually found around  a small Lake the crewman shut off the outboard   motor as the bow of the zodiac skimmed onto  the shore the only sign of a living thing was   a pure white snow petrol that glided through  the sky above them like a large snowflake only after she had helped everyone  to disembark from the Zodiac and way   to shore under the pebbled beach in the  knee-high rubber boots supplied by the   ship did Maeve turn and look at the ship  as it gathered way and steamed northward   the polar Queen was quite small by cruise  ship standards her length was only 72 meters   with a 2500 gross rated tonnage she was built in  Bergen Norway especially to cruise polar Waters   she was as ruggedly constructed as an icebreaker  a function she could perform if the occasion arose   her superstructure and the broad horizontal stripe  below her lower deck were painted glacier white   the rest of her Hull was a bright yellow she could  skirt the ice flows and icebergs with the agility   of a rabbit due to her bow and Stern thrusters  her comfortable cabins were furnished in the   style of a ski chalet with picture windows  facing the sea other amenities included a   luxurious lounge and dining Salon hosted by  a chef who turned out three-star culinary   Creations a fitness center and a library filled  with books and information on the polar regions   the crew was well trained and numbered 20 more  than the passengers Maeve felt a tinge of regret   she couldn't quite understand as the yellow and  white polar Queen grew smaller in the distance for   a brief moment she experienced the apprehension  the Lost Norwegian explorers must have felt at   seeing their only means of survival disappear she  quickly shook off any feelings of uneasiness and   began leading her party of babbling Travelers  across the gray moonscape to the cemetery   she allotted them 20 minutes to pick their  way Among the Tombstones shooting roles of   film of the inscriptions then she herded them  around a vast pile of giant bleached whale   bones near the old station while describing the  methods the Whalers used to process the whales after the danger and exhilaration of the Chase and  kill she explained came the rotten job butchering   the huge carcass and rendering the blubber into  oil cutting in and trying out as the old-timers   called it next came the Antiquated huts and  rendering building the whaling station was still   maintained and monitored on an annual basis by the  British and was considered a museum of the past   Furnishings cooking utensils in the kitchen  along with old books and worn magazines   were still there just as the Whalers left  them when they finally departed for home   please do not disturb any of the artifacts  may have told the group under international   law nothing may be removed she took a moment to  count heads then she said now I'll lead you into   the caves dug by the Whalers where they stored the  oil in huge casks before shipping it to England from a box left at the entrance to the caves  by Expedition leaders from previous cruises   she passed out flashlights is there  anyone who suffers from claustrophobia   one woman who looked to be in  her late 70s raised her hand   I'm afraid I don't want to go in there anyone  else the woman who asked all the questions nodded   I can't stand cold Dark Places all right said  Maeve the two of you wait here I'll conduct   the rest a short distance to the whale oil  storage area we won't be more than 15 minutes   she led the chattering group through a long  curving tunnel carved by the Whalers to a large   storage Cavern stacked with huge casks that  had been assembled deep inside the Rock and   later left behind after they entered she stopped  and gestured at a massive rock at the entrance the rock you see here was cut from inside  the cavern and acts as a barrier against the   cold and to keep competing Whalers from pilfering  Surplus oil that remained after the Station closed   down for the winter this rock weighs as much as an  armored tank but a child can move it providing he   or she knows its Secret she paused to step inside  placed her hand on a particular place on the upper   side of the Rock and easily pushed it to close  the entrance an ingenious bit of engineering the   rock is delicately balanced on a shaft through its  middle pushing the wrong spot and it won't budge   everyone made jokes about the total darkness  broken only by the flashlights as Maeve moved   over to one of the great wooden casks  one had remained half full and she held   a small glass vial under a spigot and  filled it with a small amount of oil   she passed the vial around allowing the tourists  to rub a few drops between their fingers   amazingly the cold has prevented the oil  from spoiling even after nearly 130 years   it still as fresh as the day it came from  The Cauldron and was poured Into The Cask   it feels as though it has extraordinary  lubricating qualities said a gray-haired   man with a large red nose common in a heavy  drinker don't tell the oil companies may   have said with a thin smile or the whales  will become extinct before next Christmas   one woman asked for the violence nifted can it be  used as cooking oil yes indeed may have answered   the Japanese are particularly fond of whale  oil for cooking and margarine in fact the   old Whalers used to dip their biscuits in salt  water and then fry them in the bubbling blubber   I tried it once and found it to have  an interesting if slightly Bland taste   Maeve was abruptly cut off by the scream of  an elderly woman who frantically clutched the   sides of her head six other people followed  suit the women crying out the men groaning   Maeve ran from one to the other stunned  at the look of intense pain in their eyes   what is it she shouted what's wrong can  I help you then suddenly it was her turn   a dagger-like Thrust of pain plunged into her  brain and her heart began to pound erratically   instinctively her hands pressed her temples  she stared dazedly at the Excursion members   through the hypnotic spell of Agony and Terror all  their eyes seemed to be bulging from their sockets   then she was struck by a tidal wave of  dizziness rapidly followed by great nausea   she fought an overwhelming urge to vomit  before losing all balance and falling down   no one could understand what was happening the  air became heavy and hard to breathe the beams of   the flashlights took on an unearthly bluish Globe  there was no vibration no shaking of the earth and   yet dust began to swirl inside the cavern the  only sounds were the screams of the tormented   they began to Sag and fall to the ground  around Maeve with horrified disbelief she   found herself immersed in disorientation caught  in the grip of a crazy nightmare where her body   was turning itself inside out one moment  people stared at death from an unknown   source then inexplicably an instant later the  excruciating Agony and vertigo began to ease   as quickly as it had come on it faded and  disappeared Maeve felt exhausted to her bones   she leaned weakly Against The Cask of whale oil  eyes closed vastly relieved at being free of pain   no one found the voice to  speak for nearly two minutes   finally a man who was cradling his stunned  wife in his arms looked up at Maeve   what in God's name was that Maeve slowly  shook her head I don't know she answered dully   with great effort she made the rounds greatly  cheered at finding everyone still alive   they all appeared to be recovering with no  lingering effects Maeve was thankful that   none of the more elderly had suffered permanent  damage especially heart attacks please wait here   and rest while I check the two ladies at the  entrance of the tunnel and contact the ship they were a good group she thought none  questioned or blamed her for the Unexplained event   they immediately began comforting each other  the younger ones helping the more elderly to   restful positions they watched as she swung  open the massive door and walked through the   portal until the beam of her flashlight  vanished around a curve in the tunnel   as soon as Maeve reached daylight again she  couldn't help wondering if it had all been a   hallucination the sea was still calm and blue the  sun had risen a little higher in a cloudless sky   and the two ladies who had preferred to remain in  the open air were lying sprawled on their stomachs   each clutching at nearby rocks as if trying to  keep from being torn Away by some unseen Force   she bent down and tried to shake them  awake but stiffened in horror when she   saw the sightless eyes and the gaping mouths  each had lost the contents of her stomach   they were dead their skin already turning  a dark purplish blue Maeve ran down to the   Zodiac which was still sitting with its bow  pulled onto the shoreline the crewman who   had brought them ashore was also lifeless the  same appalling expression on his face with the   same skin color in numb shock Maeve lifted her  portable communicator and began transmitting   polar Queen this is land Expedition one we have  an emergency please answer immediately over   there was no reply she tried again and  again to raise the ship her only response   was silence it was as if polar Queen and  her crew and passengers had never existed chapter 2 January is mid-summer in Antarctica and  days are long with only an hour or two of Twilight   temperatures on the peninsula can reach as high  as 15 degrees Celsius 59 degrees Fahrenheit   but since the tour group had come  ashore it had dropped to freezing   at the scheduled time for the polar Queen to  return there was neither word nor sign of her   Maeve continued her futile attempts to make  contact every half hour until 11 o'clock in   the evening as the polar Sun dipped toward the  horizon she stopped hailing on the ship's channel   to conserve the transmitter's batteries the  portable radios range was limited to 10 kilometers   and no other ship or passing aircraft was within  500 kilometers of picking up her calls for help   the nearest source of relief was the Argentinian  research station on the other end of the island   but unless freak atmospheric conditions  stretched her signals they would not have   received them either in frustration she  gave up and planned to try again later   where was the shipment crew she wondered  constantly was it possible they had encountered   the same murderous phenomenon and suffered harm  she did not wish to dwell on pessimistic thoughts   for the time being she and her party were secure  but without food or bedding for warmth she did not   see how they could hold out very long a few days  at most the ages of her Excursion group were on   the high side the youngest couple were in their  late 60s while the rest ranged through the 70s   to the oldest a woman of 83 who wanted a taste  of Adventure before she went into a nursing home   a sense of hopelessness welled inside Maeve she  noted with no small apprehension that dark clouds   were beginning to drift in across the sea from  the West the Vanguard of the storm that first   officer Trevor Haynes had warned Maeve to expect  she had enough experience with South polar weather   conditions to know that Coastal storms would be  accompanied by Fierce winds and blinding sleet   little or no snow would fall debilitating  wind chill would be the primary Danger   Maeve finally gave up hope of seeing the ship  anytime soon and began to plan for the worst   by making preparations for the Excursion  members to bed down for the next 10 hours   The Still Standing huts and rendering shed were  pretty well open to the elements the roves had   caved in long ago and high winds had broken the  few Windows as well as carrying off the doors   she decided her group would stand  a better chance of surviving the   bitter cold and life-threatening  Wind by remaining in the cavern   a fire using a stack of weathered lumber at the  whaling station was a possibility but it would   have to be placed near the entrance farther back  in the cave and the smoke could cause asphyxiation   four of the younger men helped her place  the bodies of the two women and crewmen in   the rendering shed they also pulled the Zodiac  farther ashore and tied it down to prevent it   from being blown Inland by the increasing winds  next they sealed all but a small opening of the   tunnel entrance with rocks to minimize any frigid  gusts that might sweep through into the cavern   she did not want to seal them off completely  from the outside by closing the rock door   then she gathered everyone around and ordered  them to huddle together for Mutual warmth   there was nothing left to do and the hours of  waiting for rescue seemed like an eternity they   tried to sleep but found it all but impossible  the numbing cold slowly began to penetrate their   clothing and the wind outside turned into a gale  that shrieked like a banshee through the air hole   in the stone barrier they directed at the tunnel  entrance only one or two complained most bore   the ordeal stoically some were actually  excited at experiencing a real Adventure   two of the Aussie husbands big men who  had made their fortunes as partners in a   construction firm teased their wives and cracked  sarcastic jokes to keep everyone's spirits up   they seemed as unconcerned as if they were waiting  to board a plane they were all good people in   their Twilight years may have thought it would be  a shame no a crime if they were to all die in that   icy hell hole her mind wandered and she vaguely  envisioned them all interred under the rocks with   the Norwegian explorers and the British Whalers a  delusion she reminded herself firmly despite the   fact that her father and sisters were violently  hostile toward her she could not bring herself   to believe they would deny her Proper Burial  in the family plot where her ancestors rested   and yet she knew it was a distinct  possibility that her family would no   longer admit that Maeve was of their own flesh  and blood not after the birth of her twin boys   she lay there staring at the fog that formed in  the cavern from the heavy concentrated breathing   and tried to picture her sons now only six years  old watched over by friends while she earned badly   needed money with the cruise line what would  become of them if she died she prayed that   her father would never get his hands on them  compassion never entered into his reckonings   people's lives mattered little to  him nor was money a driving force   he considered it merely a tool power to  manipulate that was his passion maeve's two   sisters shared their father's callousness toward  others fortunately she took after her mother   a gentle lady who was driven to suicide by her  cold and abusive husband when Maeve was 12.   after the tragedy Maeve never considered herself  part of the family none of them had forgiven   her for leaving the fold and striking out on  her own under a new name with nothing but the   clothes on her back it was a decision she had  never regretted she awakened listening for a   sound or rather the lack of it the wind was no  longer whistling into the tunnel from outside   the storm was still Brewing but there  was a temporary break in The Frigid wind   she returned and roused the two Australian  contractors I need you to accompany me to   the penguin Rookery she told them they are not  hard to capture I'm breaking the law but if we   are to stay healthy until the ship returns  we must put nourishment in our stomachs   what do you think mate boomed one of the men  I could use a taste of bird replied the other   Penguins aren't candidates for  Gourmet dining Maeve said smiling   their meat is oily but at least it's filling  before they left for the Rookery she prodded   the others to their feet and sent them to steal  wood from the whaling station to build a fire   in for a penny in for a pound if I'm going  to jail for killing protected creatures and   destroying historic property I might as well do  a thorough job of it they made for the Rookery   which was about two kilometers around the  point encircling the north part of the Bay   though the wind had died the sleet made their way  miserable they could hardly see more than three   meters in front of them it was as though they were  looking at everything through a sheet of water   sight was even more difficult without goggles  they were wearing only sunglasses and the   drifting sleet blew in around the rims  of the lenses and caked their eyelashes   only by keeping close to the edge of the  water did they maintain a sense of direction   they added 20 minutes to the hike by not walking  across the point as the crow flies but at least   the detour prevented them from becoming lost the  wind howled in again biting into their exposed   faces the thought of them all trekking to the  Argentinian research station crossed maeve's mind   but she quickly dismissed it few would survive  the 30 kilometer Journey Through The Storm   better than half the Aged tourists  would quickly perish along the way   Maeve had to consider all prospects the feasible  and the impractical she might make it she was   young and strong but she could not bring herself  to Desert the people who were depending on her   sending the big Aussie men who trudged beside her  was a possibility the nagging problem as she saw   it was what would they find when they arrived what  if the Argentinian scientists had died under the   same mysterious circumstances as the members of  her own party if the worst had occurred then the   only hard incentive for reaching the station was  to use their powerful Communications equipment   the decision was agonizing should she risk the two  Australians lives in a hazardous Trek or keep them   at hand to help her care for the old and the weak  she decided against going for the research station   her job did not involve putting the passengers of  Rupert and Saunders in life-threatening situations   it seemed inconceivable that they had been  abandoned they had no choice but waited out   until rescue came from whatever source and  exist the best way they could until then the sleet had slackened and their  Vision increased to nearly 50 meters   overhead the sun appeared as a dim orange ball  with a Halo of varied colors like a round prism   they rounded the spur of rock encompassing the bay  and curved back to the Shoreline containing the   penguin rookery Maeve did not relish the thought  of killing Penguins even as a means to stay alive   they were such tame and friendly creatures  the pygocellus adelier or a daily penguins   are one of 17 true species they sport a  black feathered back and hooded head and   a white breast and stare through beady little  eyes as suggested by fossils found on Seymour   Island their ancestors evolved more than 40  million years ago and were as tall as a man   attracted to their Almost Human social behavior  patterns may have had spent one whole summer   observing and studying a rookery and had begun  a love affair with this most delightful of birds   in contrast with the larger Emperor penguin the  Adelis can move as fast as five kilometers an   hour and often faster when tobogganing over  the ice on their chests give them a funny   little derby and a cane to swing she often  mused and they could have waddled along in   a perfect imitation of Charlie Chaplin I believe  the bloody sleetest slackening said one of the men   he was wearing a leather cap and puffing  on a cigarette about damn time muttered   the other who had used a scarf to wrap his  head turban style or feel like a damp rag they could clearly see out to  sea for nearly half a kilometer   the once glass-like sea was now a turmoil  of White Caps agitated by the wind   Maeve turned her attention to the Rookery as far  as she could see was a carpet of penguins over 50   000 of them as she and the Aussies walked closer  it struck her as odd that none of the birds stood   on their little feet tail feathers extended  as props to keep from falling over backward   they were scattered all about most lying  on their backs as if they had toppled over   something's not right she said none are  standing they'll fool those birds said   the men in the turban they know better  than to stand against blowing sleet Maeve ran to the edge of the Rookery and looked  down at the Penguins lying on the Outer Edge   she was struck by the absence of sound none  moved nor showed interest in her approach   she knelt and studied one it lay limp on  the ground eyes staring sightless at her   her face was stricken as she looked at the  thousands of birds that showed no sign of life   she stared at two leopard seals the natural  predator of penguins whose bodies washed back and   forth in the small surge along the rockstrroom  beach They're All Dead she muttered in shock   bloody hell gasped the man in the leather cap  she's right not one of the little buggers is   breathing this can't be real Maeve thought  wildly she stood absolutely still she could   not see what caused the mass death but she could  feel it the crazy idea that every living thing   in the rest of the world had died from the  mysterious Melody suddenly struck her mind   is it possible we're the only ones left alive  on a dead Planet she wandered in near panic   the man with the scarf turban wrapped around  his head bent over and picked up a penguin   saves us the trouble of having to slaughter  them leave them be Maeve shouted at him   why the man replied indignantly we've all got to  eat we don't know what killed them they might have   died from some sort of plague the man in the  leather cap nodded the little lady knows what   she's talking about whatever disease kill these  birds could do us in too I don't know about you   but I don't aim to be responsible for my wife's  death but it wasn't a disease the other man argued   not what killed those little old ladies in that  sailor lad it was more like some fluke of nature   Maeve stood her ground I refuse to gamble with  lives polar Queen will be back we haven't been   forgotten if the captain is trying to give us  a good scare he's doing a damn fine job of it   he must have a good reason for not returning  good reason or not your company better be   heavily insured because they're going to get their  rear seat off when we get back to civilization Maeve was in no mood to argue she turned her back   on the killing ground and set  off toward the storage Cavern   the Two Men followed their eyes searching over  a menacing sea for something that wasn't there chapter 3 to wake up after three days in a cave on a  Barren island in the middle of a Polar Storm   and know you are responsible for three deaths  and the lives of nine men and 11 women is not   an enjoyable experience without any sign  of the hoped for arrival of the Polar Queen   the once cheerful Excursion that came ashore to  experience the wondrous isolation of the Antarctic   had become a nightmare of Abandonment  and despair for the vacation Travelers   and to add to maeve's desperation the batteries  of her portable Communicator had finally gone dead   any time now Maeve knew she could expect  the older members of the party to succumb   to the harsh conditions inside the cave  they had lived their lives in warm and   tropical zones and were not acclimated to  the freezing harshness of the Antarctic   young and Hearty bodies might have lasted until  help finally arrived but these people lacked the   strength of 20 and 30 year olds their health  was generally frail and vulnerable with age   at first they joked and told stories treating  their ordeal as merely a bonus Adventure   they sang songs mostly Waltzing Matilda and  attempted word games but soon lethargy set   in and they went quiet and unresponsive bravely  they accepted their suffering without protest now hunger overcame any fear of diseased  meat and Maeve stopped a mutiny by finally   relenting and sending the men out to bring in  several dead penguins there was no problem of   decomposition setting in since the birds had  Frozen soon after they were killed one of the   men was an avid Hunter he produced a Swiss army  knife and expertly skinned and butchered the meat   by filling their bellies with protein and fat  they would add fuel to maintain their body heat   may have found some 70 year old tea in one of the  Whalers huts she also appropriated an old pot and   a pen next she tapped the casks for a liter of the  remaining Quail oil poured it in the pan and lit   it a blue flame Rose and everybody applauded  her Ingenuity at producing a workable stove   then she cleaned out the old pot filled it  with snow and brewed the tea Spirits were   buoyed but only for a short time depression  soon recast its heavy net over the cavern   their determination not to die was  being sapped by The Frigid temperature   they morbidly began to  believe the end was inevitable   the ship was never returning and any hope of  rescue from another origin bordered on fantasy   it no longer mattered if they expired from  whatever unknown disease if any killed the   Penguins none were dressed properly to resist  for long sustained temperatures below freezing   the danger of asphyxiation was too great  to use the whale oil to build a bigger fire   the small amount in the pan merely  produced a feeble bit of warmth hardly   sufficient to prolong life eventually the Fatal  tentacles of the cold would encircle them all outside the storm went from bad to worse and it  began to snow a rare occurrence on the peninsula   during summer hope of a chance Discovery was  destroyed as the storm mounted in intensity   four of the elderly were near death from exposure   and Maeve suffered Bleak discouragement as all  control began to slip through her frozen fingers   she blamed herself for the three that were  already dead and it affected her badly   the living looked upon her as their only hope   even the men respected her Authority and  carried out her orders without question   God help them she whispered to herself I can't  let them know I've come to the end of my rope   she shuddered from an oppressive feeling of  helplessness a strange lethargy stole through her   Maeve knew she must see the terrible  trial through to its final outcome   but she didn't think she had the strength to  continue carrying 20 lives on her shoulders   she felt exhausted and didn't  want to struggle anymore   dimly through her listlessness she heard  a strange sound unlike the Cry Of The Wind   it came to her ears as though  something were pounding the air   then it faded only Her Imagination she told  herself it was probably nothing but the wind   changing direction and making a different howl  through the air vent at the tunnel entrance then she heard it again briefly before it died  she struggled to her feet and stumbled through   the tunnel a snow drift had built up against the  wind barrier and nearly filled the small opening   she removed several rocks to widen the passage and  crawled outside into an icy world of wind and snow   the wind held steady at about 20 knots  swirling Billows of snow like a tornado   suddenly she tensed and squinted  her eyes into the white turbulence something seemed to be moving out there a vague  shape with no substance and yet darker than the   opaque Veil that fell from the sky she took a  step and pitched forward for a long moment she   thought of just lying there and going to sleep  the urge to give it all up was overwhelming   but the spark of Life refused  to diminish and blink out   she lifted herself to her knees and stared through  the wavering light she caught something moving   toward her and then a gust obliterated it a few  moments later it reappeared but closer this time   then her heart surged it was the  figure of a man covered in ice and snow   he waved excitedly and called to him he paused as  if listening then turned and began walking away   this time she screamed a high-pitched  scream such as only a female could project   the figure turned and stared through  the drifting snow in her Direction she   waved both arms frantically he waved  back and began jogging toward her   please don't let him be a mirage or  a delusion she begged the heavens   and then he was kneeling in the snow beside her  cradling her shoulders in arms that felt like   the biggest and strongest she had ever known  oh thank God I never gave up hoping you'd come   he was a tall man wearing a turquoise parka  with the letters n-u-m-a stitched over the   left breast and a ski mask with goggles he  removed the goggles and stared at her through   a pair of incredible opal in green eyes that  betrayed a mixture of surprise and puzzlement   his deeply tanned face seemed  oddly out of place in the Antarctic   what in the world are you doing here he asked in  a husky voice tinged with concern I have 20 people   back there in a cabin we were on a Shore Excursion  our cruise ship sailed off and never returned   he looked at her in disbelief you were abandoned  she nodded and stared fearfully Into the Storm   did a worldwide catastrophe occur  his eyes narrowed at the question   not that I'm aware of why do you ask three people  in my party died under mysterious circumstances   and an entire Rookery of penguins just north of  the Bay has been exterminated down to the last   bird if the stranger was surprised at the tragic  news he hit it well he helped Maeve to her feet   I'd better get you out of this blowing snow  you're American she said shivering from the cold   and you're Australian it's that  obvious you pronounce a like I   she held out a gloved hand you don't  know how glad I am to see you mister   my name is Dirk Pitt May Fletcher he ignored  her objections picked her up and began carrying   her following her footprints in the snow  toward the tunnel I suggest we carry on   our conversation out of the cold you say  there are 20 others that are still alive   Pitt gave her a solemn look it would appear  the sales brochures oversold the voyage once inside the tunnel he set her on  her feet and pulled off his ski mask   his head was covered by a thick mass of unruly  black hair his green eyes peered from beneath   heavy dark eyebrows and his face was craggy  and weathered from long hours in the open   but handsome in a rugged sort of way  his mouth seemed set in a casual grin   this was a man a woman could feel secure with  may have thought a minute later Pitt was greeted   by the tourists like a HomeTown football  hero who had led the team to a big victory   seeing a stranger suddenly appear in their  midst had the same impact as winning a lottery   he marveled that they were all in reasonably fit  shape considering they're terrible ordeal the   old women all embraced and kissed him like a son  while the men slapped his back until it was sore   everybody was talking and shouting questions  at once Maeve introduced him and related how   they met up in the storm where did you drop from  mate they all wanted to know a research vessel   from the national underwater and Marine agency  we're on an expedition trying to discover why   seals and dolphins have been disappearing  in these Waters at an astonishing rate   we were flying over Seymour Island in a helicopter  when the snow closed in on us so we thought it   best to land until it blew over there were more of  you a pilot and a biologist who remained on board   I spotted what looked like a piece of a zodiac  protruding from the snow I wondered why such a   craft would be resting on an uninhabited part  of the island and walked over to investigate   that's when I heard Miss Fletcher shouting at me  good thing you decided to take a walk when you   did said the 83 year old great-grandmother  to Maeve I thought I heard a strange noise   outside in the storm I know now that it was  the sound of his helicopter coming into land   an incredible piece of luck we stumbled into  each other in the middle of a blizzard said pit   I didn't believe I was hearing a woman scream  I was sure it was a quirk of the wind until I   saw you waving through a blanket of snow  where is your research ship may've asked   about 40 kilometers Northeast of here did  you by chance pass our ship polar Queen   Pitt shook his head we haven't  seen another ship for over a week   any radio contact asked Maeve a distress call  perhaps we talked to a ship supplying the British   station at Halle Bay but have heard nothing from  a cruise ship she couldn't have vanished Into Thin   Air said one of the men in bewilderment not along  with the entire crew and our fellow passengers   will solve the mystery as soon as we can  transport all of you people to our research vessel   it's not as plush as the polar Queen but we have  comfortable quarters a fine doctor and a cook who   stands guard over a supply of very good wines I'd  rather go to held and spend another minute in this   freeze box said a wiring New Zealand owner of a  sheep station laughing I can only squeeze five or   six of you at a time into the helicopter so we'll  have to make several trips explained Pitt because   we set down a good 300 meters away I'll return  to the craft and fly it closer to the entrance   to your cave so you won't have to suffer the  discomfort of trekking through the snow nothing   like curbside service Maeve said feeling as if she  had been Reborn may I go with you feel up to it   she nodded I think everyone will be glad not to  have me ordering them about for a little while Al giardino sat in the pilot seat of the turquoise  pneuma helicopter and worked a crossword puzzle   No taller than a floor lamp he had a body as  solid as a beer keg poised on two legs with a   pair of construction Derricks for arms his Ebony  Eyes occasionally glanced into the snow glare   through the cockpit windshield then seeing  nothing of fit they refocused on the puzzle   curly black hair framed the top of a round  face which was fixed with a Perpetual sarcastic   expression about the lips that suggested he  was skeptical of the world and everyone in it   while the nose hinted strongly at his  Roman ancestry a close friend of Pitts   since childhood they had been Inseparable  during their years together in the Air Force   before volunteering for an assignment to help  launch the national underwater and Marine agency   a temporary assignment that had  lasted the better part of 14 years what's a six-letter word for fuzzballed goondorfer  that eats stinkweed he asked the man sitting   behind him in the cargo bay of the aircraft which  was packed with Laboratory Testing equipment   the marine biologist from pneuma looked up from  a specimen he'd collected earlier and raised his   brows quizzically there is no such Beast as  a fuzzballed goondorfer you sure it says so   right here Roy van Fleet knew when giordino was  sowing his cornfield with turnips after three   months at Sea together van Fleet had become too  Savvy to fall for the stubby Italian's con jobs   on second thought it's a flying sloth from  Mongolia CF slabo fits realizing he had   lost his easy Mark giordino looked up from the  puzzle again and stared into the falling snow   Dirk should have been back by now how long has he  been gone asked van Fleet about 45 minutes jordina   screwed up his eyes as a pair of vague shapes took  form in the distance I think he's coming in now   than he added there must have been funny dust in  that cheese sandwich I just ate I swear he's got   someone with him not a chance there isn't another  Soul within 30 kilometers come see for yourself by the time van Fleet had kept his specimen  jar and placed it in a wooden crate   pit had thrown open the entry hatch  and helped Maeve Fletcher climb inside   she pushed back the hood on her orange jacket  fluffed out her long golden hair and smiled   brightly greetings gentlemen you don't know how  happy I am to see you van Fleet looked as if he   had seen the resurrection his face registered  total incomprehension giordino on the other hand   simply sighed in resignation who else he asked no  one in particular but Dirk Pitt could off   into a blizzard on an uninhabited Backwater island  in the Antarctic and discover a beautiful girl chapter 4.

Less than an hour after Pitt alerted  the pneuma research vessel ice Hunter Captain   Paul Dempsey braved an icy Breeze and watched  as jordino hovered the helicopter above the   ship's landing pad except for the ship's cook  busily preparing hot meals in the galley and   the chief engineer who remained below the entire  crew including lab technicians and scientists   had turned out to greet the first group of  cold and hungry tourists to be airlifted   from Seymour Island Captain Dempsey had grown  up on a ranch in the Beartooth mountains as   dried the Wyoming Montana border he ran away  to Sea after graduating from high school and   worked the fishing boats out of Kodiak Alaska  he fell in love with the iccs above the Arctic   Circle and eventually passed the examination to  become captain of an ice-breaking Salvage tug   no matter how high the Seas or how strong the  wind Dempsey never hesitated to take on the   worst storms the Gulf of Alaska could throw at him  after he'd received a call from a ship in distress   during the next 15 years his daring rescues of  innumerable fishing boats six Coastal Freighters   two oil tankers and a Navy destroyer created a  legend that resulted in a bronze statue beside   the docket Seward a source of great embarrassment  to him forced into retirement when the ocean-going   salvage company became debt ridden he accepted  an offer from the chief director of pneuma   Admiral James sandecker to Captain the  agency's polar research ship ice Hunter   Dempsey's trademark a chipped Briar pipe jutted  from one corner of his tight but good-humored   Mouth he was a typical tugman broad-shouldered  and thick-waisted habitually standing with legs   wide set yet he presented the distinguished  appearance gray-haired clean shaven a man given   to telling good Sea Stories Dempsey might have  been taken for a jovial captain of a cruise ship   he stepped forward as the wheels of  the chopper settled onto the deck   beside him stood the ship's physician Dr Mose  Greenberg tall and slender he wore his dark   brown hair in a ponytail his blue green eyes  twinkled and he had about him that certain   indefinable air of trustworthiness common to all  conscientious dedicated doctors around the world Dr Greenberg along with four  crewmen bearing stretchers for   any of the elderly passengers who  found it difficult to walk on their   own ducked under the revolving rotor  blades and opened the rear cargo door   Dempsey moved toward the cockpit and motioned to  jordino to open the side window the stocky Italian   obliged and leaned out is Pitt with you asked  Dempsey loudly above the swoosh of the blades   giordino shook his head he and Van Fleet stayed  behind to examine a pack of dead penguins   how many of the cruise ships passengers were you  able to carry we squeezed in six of the oldest   ladies who had suffered the most four more trips  ought to do it three to transport the remaining   tourists and one to bring out Pitt van Fleet the  guide and the three dead bodies they stashed in an   old Whaler's rendering shed Dempsey motioned  into the miserable mixture of snow and sleet   can you find your way back in this soup I plan  to beam in on Pitt's portable communicator   how bad off are these people better than you might  expect for senior citizens who've suffered three   days and nights in a frigid cave Pitt said to tell  Dr Greenberg that pneumonia will be his main worry   the bitter cold is sapped to the older folks  energy and in their weakened condition their   resistance is real low do they have any idea  what happened to their cruise ship ask Dempsey   before they went ashore their Excursion guide  was told by the first officer that the ship was   heading 20 kilometers up the coast to  put off another group of excursionists   that's all she knows the ship never  contacted her again after it sailed off   Dempsey reached up and lightly slapped  jordino on the arm hurry back and mind   you don't get your feet wet then he moved  around to the cargo door and introduced   himself to the tired and cold passengers from  The Polar queen as they exited the aircraft   he tucked a blanket around the 83 year old woman  who was being lifted to the deck on a stretcher   welcome aboard he said with a warm smile we have  hot soup and coffee and a soft bed waiting for   you in our officer's quarters if it's all the  same to you she said sweetly I'd prefer tea   your wish is my command dear lady Dempsey  said gallantly T it is bless you Captain   she replied squeezing his hand as soon as  the Last Passenger had been helped across   the helicopter pad Dempsey waved off jordino  who immediately lifted the craft into the air   Dempsey watched until the turquoise craft  dissolved and vanished into the white blanket   of sleet he re-lit the ever-present pipe and  tarried alone on the helicopter pad after the   others had hurried back into the comfort of the  ship's superstructure to get out of the cold   he had not counted on a Mission of  Mercy certainly not one of this kind   ships in distress on ferocious Seas he could  understand but ships captains who abandoned   their passengers on a deserted island under  incredibly harsh conditions he could not fathom   the polar Queen had sailed far more than 25  kilometers from the site of the old whaling   station he knew that for certain the radar on Ice  Hunter's Bridge could see beyond 120 kilometers   and there was no contact that  remotely resembled a cruise ship the Gale had slackened considerably  by the time pit along with Maeve   Fletcher and Van Fleet reached the penguin rookery   the Australian zoologist and the American  biologist had become friendly almost immediately   Pitt walked behind them in silence as they  compared universities and colleagues in the field   Maeve plagued van Fleet with questions pertaining  to her dissertation while he queried her for   details concerning her brief observation of the  mass decimation of the world's most beloved bird   the storm had carried the carcasses of  those nearest the shoreline out to sea   but by Pitt's best calculation a good forty  thousand of the dead birds still lay scattered   amid the small stones and rocks like black  and white gunny sacks filled with wet grain   with the easing of the wind and sleet  visibility increased to nearly a kilometer   giant petrols the vultures of the sea began  arriving to Feast upon the dead penguins   Majestic as they soared gracefully through the  air they were merciless scavengers of meat from   any source as Pitt and the others watched and  discussed the huge birds quickly disemboweled   their lifeless prey forcing their beaks inside the  penguin carcasses until their necks and heads were   read with viscera and Gore not exactly a sight I  care to remember said Pitt van fleet was stunned   he turned to Maeve his eyes unbelieving now that I  see the tragedy with my own eyes I find it hard to   accept so many of the poor creatures dying within  such a concentrated space in the same time period   whatever the phenomenon said Maeve I'm certain  it also caused the death of my two passengers   and the ship's crewman who brought us ashore  van Fleet knelt and studied one of the Penguins   no indication of injury no  obvious signs of disease or poison   the body appears fat and healthy  Maeve leaned over his shoulder   the only non-conformity that I found  was the slight protrusion of the eyes   yes I see what you mean the eyeballs seem half  again as large Pitt looked at Maeve thoughtfully   when I was carrying you to the cave you said  the three who died did so under mysterious   circumstances she nodded some strange Force  assaulted our senses unseen and non-physical   I have no idea what it was but I can tell  you that for at least a full five minutes   it felt like our brains were going  to explode the pain was excruciating   from the blue coloring on the bodies you  showed me in the rendering shed said van Fleet   the cause of death appears to be cardiac arrest  Pitt stared over the scene of so much annihilation   not possible that three humans countless  thousands of penguins and 50 or more leopard   seals all expired together from a heart condition  there must be an interrelating cause said Maeve   any connection with the huge School of dolphins we  found out in the Weddell sea or the pot of seals   washed up just across the channel on Vega Island  all deader than petrified wood fit asked van Fleet   the marine biologist Shrugged too early to tell  without further study there does however appear   to be a definite link have you examined  them in your ship's laboratory asked Maeve   I've dissected two seals and three dolphins and  found no hook I can hang a respectable Theory on   the primary consistency seems to be internal  hemorrhaging Dolphins seals birds and humans it   said Softly they're all vulnerable to this  scourge van Fleet nodded solemnly not to   mention the vast numbers of squid and sea turtles  that have washed ashore throughout the Pacific   and the millions of dead fish found floating  off Peru and Ecuador in the past two months   if it continues unstopped there is no predicting  how many species of Life above and Under the Sea   will become extinct Pitt turned his gaze toward  the sky at the distant sound of the helicopter   so what do we know except that our mystery plague  kills every living thing in air and liquid without   discrimination all within a matter of minutes  added Maeve van Fleet came to his feet he appeared   badly shaken if we don't determine whether the  cause is from natural disturbances or human   intervention of some kind and do it damn quick  we may be looking at Oceans devoid of all life   not just oceans you're forgetting this thing also  kills on land may have reminded him I don't even   want to dwell on that horror for a long minute  no one said a word each trying to comprehend   the potential catastrophe that lays somewhere in  and Beyond the Sea finally Pitt broke the silence   it would appear he said a pensive look on his  craggy face but we have our work cut out for us chapter 5.

Pitt studied the screen of a large  monitor that displayed a computer-enhanced   satellite image of the Antarctic Peninsula and the  surrounding Islands he leaned back rested his eyes   a moment and then stared through the tinted glass  on the navigation bridge of ice Hunter as the sun   broke through the dissipating clouds the time was  11 o'clock on a summer's evening in the southern   hemisphere and daylight remained almost constant  the passengers from Polar Queen had been fed and   bedded down in comfortable quarters charitably  provided by the crew and scientists who doubled up   doc Greenberg examined each and every one  and found no permanent damage or trauma   he was also relieved to find only a few cases  of mild colds but no evidence of pneumonia   in the ship's bio laboratory two decks  above the ship's Hospital van Fleet   assisted by Maeve Fletcher was performing  post-mortem examinations on the Penguins   and seals they had airlifted from Seymour  island in the helicopter the bodies of the   three dead were packed in ice until they could  be turned over to a professional pathologist Pitt ran his eyes over the huge  twin bows of the ice Hunter   she was not your garden variety research  ship but one of a kind the first scientific   vessel entirely computer designed by marine  engineers working with input from oceanographers   she rode high on Parallel Hull that contained her  big engines and auxiliary machinery Her Space Age   rounded superstructure abounded with technical  sophistication and futuristic Innovations   the quarters for the crew and ocean scientists  rival the state rooms of a luxury cruise ship   she was sleek and almost fragile  looking but that was a deception   she was a Workhorse Born to Ride smooth in  choppy waves and weather the roughest sea   a radically designed triangular hulls could cut  through and Crush an ice flow four meters thick Admiral James sandecker The Feisty director of the  national underwater and Marine agency followed her   construction from the first computerized design  drawing to her maiden voyage around Greenland   he took great pride in every centimeter of her  gleaming white superstructure and turquoise Hulls   sandecker was a master of obtaining funds from  the new tight-fisted Congress and nothing had   been spared in ice Hunter's construction  nor her state-of-the-art equipment   she was without argument the finest  polar research ship ever built   pit turned and refocused his attention on  the image beans down from the satellite   he felt almost no exhaustion it had been  a long and tiring day but one filled with   every emotion happiness and satisfaction  at having saved the lives of over 20 people   and sorrow at seeing so many of Nature's creatures  lying dead almost as far as the eye could see   this was a catastrophe beyond comprehension  something sinister and menacing was out there   a hideous presence that defied logic his thoughts  were interrupted by the appearance of jordino and   Captain Dempsey as they stepped out of the  elevator that ran from the observation Wing   above the navigation bridge down through  15 decks to the bowels of the engine room   and a glimpse of polar Queen from  the satellite cameras asked Dempsey   nothing I can positively identify Pitt  replied the snow is blurring all Imaging   what about radio contact Pitt shook  his head it's as though the ship   were Carried Away by aliens from space the  communications room Can't Raise a response   and while we're on the subject the radio at the  Argentinian research station has also gone dead   whatever disaster struck the ship and the  station said Dempsey must have come on so   fast none of the poor Devils could get off  a distress call have van Fleet and Fletcher   uncovered any clues leading to the cause of the  deaths asked Pitt their preliminary examination   shows that the arteries ruptured at the base  of the creature's skulls causing hemorrhaging   beyond that I can tell you nothing looks like  we have a thread leading from a mystery to   an enigma to a dilemma to a puzzle with no  solution in sight Pitt said philosophically if polar Queen isn't floating nearby or  sitting on the bottom of the Weddell sea   giordino said thoughtfully we might be  looking at a hijacking Pitt smiled as he   and jordino exchanged knowing looks like the  lady Flamborough Her Image crossed my mind   Dempsey stared at the deck recalling the incident  the cruise ship that was captured by terrorists   in the port of Punta Del Este several years  ago jordina nodded she was carrying heads of   state for an economic conference the terrorists  sailed her through the Strait of Magellan into   a Chilean Fjord where they moored her under  a glacier it was Dirk who tracked her down   allowing for a cruising speed of roughly  18 knots Dempsey estimated terrorists could   have sailed polar Queen halfway to Buenos Aires  by now not a likely scenario Pitt said evenly   I can't think of one solid reason why terrorists  would hijack a cruise ship in the Antarctic   so what's your guess I believe she's  either drifting or steaming in circles   within 200 kilometers of us Pitt said it so  absolutely he left little margin for doubt   Dempsey looked at him you have a  prognostication we don't know about   I'm betting my money that the same phenomenon  that struck down the tourists and crewmen   outside the cave also killed everybody on  board the cruise ship not a pretty thought   said jordino but that would explain why she  never returned to pick up the excursionists   and let us not forget the second group that  was scheduled to be put ashore 20 kilometers   farther up the coast Dempsey reminded them this  mess gets worse by the minute giordino muttered Al and I will conduct a search for the second  group from the air pit said contemplating the   image on the monitor if we can't find any sign  of their presence we'll push on and check on   the people manning the Argentinian research  station for all we know they could be dead too   what in God's name caused This calamity  Dempsey asked no one in particular   Pitt made a vague gesture with his hands   The Familiar causes for extermination of life  in and around the sea do not fit this puzzle   natural problems generally responsible for huge  fish kills around the world like fluctuations   and temperatures of surface water or algal  blooms such as red Tides do not apply here   neither is present that leaves man-made pollution  a possibility that also fails to measure up pit   argued there are no known industrial sources for  toxic pollution within thousands of kilometers   and no radioactive and chemical wastes could  have killed every penguin in such a short   time span certainly not those that were  safely nesting on land clear of the water   I fear we have a threat no one has faced before  jordino pulled a massive cigar from the inside   pocket of his jacket the cigar was one of  Admiral sand Decker's Private Stock made   expressly for his private enjoyment and jordinos  too since it was never discovered how he had   helped himself to the Admiral's private stock  for over a decade without ever getting caught   he held a flame to the thick dark brown shaft of  tobacco and puffed out a cloud of fragrant smoke okay he said enjoying the taste what's the drill  Dempsey wrinkled his nose at the cigar's aroma   I've contacted officials of Rupert and  Saunders the line that owns polar Queen   and deprives them of the situation they lost  no time in initiating a massive air search   they've requested that we transport the survivors  of the shore Excursion to King George Island   where a British scientific station has an  Airfield from there Arrangements will be   made to airlift them back to Australia before or  after we look for Polar Queen giardino put to him   the living come first Dempsey replied seriously as  captain of the ship the decisions belonged to him   YouTube probed the coastline in your helicopter  while I steer the hunter on a course toward King   George Island after our passengers are safely  ashore we'll make a sweep for the cruise ship   giordino grinned by then the Weddell sea will  be swarming with every Salvage dug from here   to Cape Town South Africa not our problem said  Dempsey Noma isn't in the ship salvage business   pitted tuned out of the conversation and  walked over to a table where a large chart   of the Weddell sea was laid flat he ignored any  inclination to work by Instinct and drove himself   to think rationally with his brain and not his  gut he tried to put himself on board the polar   Queen when she was struck by the murdering  scourge giardino and Dempsey went quiet as   they stared at him expectantly after nearly a  minute he looked up from the chart and smiled   once we programmed the relevant data into  the teleplotting analyzer it should give us   a ballpark location with a fighting chance for  success so what do we feed into the brain box   Dempsey's term for any piece of electronics  relating to the ship's computer systems   every scrap of data on wind and currents from  the last three and a half days and their effects   against a mass the size of polar Queen once  we calculate a drift pattern we can tackle   the problem of whether she continued making way  with a dead crew at the helm and in what direction   suppose that instead of steaming around in circles  as you suggested her Rudder was set on a straight   course then she might be 1500 kilometers away  somewhere in the middle of the South Atlantic   and out of range of the satellite imaging system  giordino put it to pit but you don't think so   no Pitt said quietly if the ice and snow covering  this ship after the storm is any indication polar   Queen has enough of the stuff coating her  superstructure to make her nearly invisible   to the satellite imaging system enough to  camouflage your as an iceberg ask Dempsey   more like a snow blanketed projection of  land Dempsey looked confused you've lost me   I'll bet my government pension  said pit with cast iron conviction   we'll find the polar Queen heart of  ground somewhere along the shore of

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