Leviathan

Tyler, looking frustrated, walked up and fired two shots into the heads of the wounded, making his security man fall backward.

"Your men were too slow in reacting, and that made the control room crew think they could do something about this. I won't be cleaning up your mess again. Now get the midshipmen trainees up here, and get replacement modules for the damaged control systems."

"Yes, sir," the man said, with one last look at the murdered crewmen.

Tyler deftly stepped over the crumpled body of Lieutenant Kogersborg and reached out to touch the large captain's chair sitting high on its pedestal. Then he removed the ammunition clip from his handgun and replaced it with a fresh one.

"Have the second assault team meet me in front of the observation compartment--it's time to confront Captain Heirthall and her guests."

The Event Group felt Leviathanslow and her bow angle change as she started her climb to the bottom of the Ross Ice Shelf. The waters outside of the observation windows were crystal clear as the lights started to pick up the indigenous sea life of the Antarctic Archipelago.

"Look at that," Lee said as he stepped closer to observe the giant pressure ridges on the bottom of the shelf. Upside-down mountains pointed their sharpened edges at the now diminutive Leviathanas she rose through the depths.

"According to these coordinates, we're not that far away from White Island," Everett said as he made some quick calculations on a napkin. "The closest American friendlies are a thousand miles away at McMurdo Station, on the southern tip of Ross Island."

"We have enough scientists onboard Leviathanas it is. I don't think those nerds from the weather station will be of any help," Lee quipped as he looked at Niles. "No offense, my dear boy."

"No, but if we can find a way off Leviathan, they are within rescue distance," Carl said as an explanation.

"Good to know, swabby," Jack said.

"All hands take collision stations, stand by to surface. We have unstable ice ahead," Yeoman Alvera called over the intercom.

"Well, at least we know who is in command," Collins said as he looked at the now-silent Dr. Trevor. "We need to know who-all is in on this. The crew? If not, what did they do with them?"

Outside the windows, Leviathanrose dangerously close to the bottom of the Ross Ice Shelf, slowing even further as she did.

"The opening to Ice Palace is a natural fault that will allow Leviathanto rise into the ice," Samuels said, sitting next to Alexandria as she lay upon the long conference table. "I think the captain is coming around."

Heirthall's eyes blinked and she turned her head. She looked into Virginia's eyes. She smiled, reached out, and took her hand. Virginia smiled, and then slowly wiped the blood that pooled and ran from Alexandria's left ear.

"The sym inside of me is dying, Ginny. I'm afraid it's taking me with it," she said, almost silently.

"No, you're too strong for that." Virginia squeezed her friend's hand. "You did good fighting it. If you hadn't, no one on the outside would have stood a chance."

Alexandria smiled sadly. "I am not proud of myself for ... allowing this thing to happen," she said, wincing as a momentary pain coursed through her head. "I didn't think the syms ... were capable."

"Sometimes aggressor species hide their intent well, Alex. You were blinded by your compassion. Your entire family was."

"Help me ... sit up, Ginny."

Virginia, with Alice's assistance, did as asked. More blood flowed from first the left, then the right ear. Alexandria leaned her head against Virginia's chest as Samuels came over. He tried to smile at his captain, but couldn't.

"We ... were both blinded, James." She smiled and took his hand. "Nevertheless, we'll fix ... it. You must understand this. Listen well, James--the young children, they are innocent. Their syms are too young ... to be ... a part of this."

"Yes, Captain, we will make things right, and we'll get the children off," her first officer said determined.

"The ice shelf is dying. The polar ice caps are melting; being weakened by the global warming governments say is not cyclical," she said weakly, trying to make her voice heard.

Leviathanwas rising fast toward a giant pressure ridge that shot down from the shelf. It looked as if they were on a direct collision course with disaster, when suddenly the giant vessel veered right and then expertly shot between two of the larger ridges, shifting her bulk into a valley that allowed Leviathanto rise up and into the great ice shelf.

"Yeoman Alvera is quite adept at handling.... Leviathan's large bulk in tight spaces. Whenever we are gone for long periods of time, the opening.... to Ice Palace freezes over, and becomes a much tighter fit than when we left," Alexandria said, watching the view from the windows.

"All hands, this is the deck officer, surface, surface," Alvera announced. "Chief of the boat, sound the horn--all interior lighting to full illumination."