Leviathan

"Thank you, Yeoman, you are excused," the captain said, seeming to wince. She folded the report and it crumpled in her hand as she again was hit with pain.

Yeoman Alvera looked concerned for the captain. She looked from her to the Event Group, then half-bowed and left the compartment.

The captain pulled down at the edges of her coat and swallowed, looking at the men and women around her. That was when they noticed that the captain's facial features seemed to droop. Gone was the fresh face of a beautiful woman; in its place was a new one that looked tired, and the eyes actually drooped down at the corners.

At that moment Sergeant Tyler opened one of the hatchways and entered. He didn't approach the group standing at the large viewing window, but stood just inside the compartment looking at Heirthall, who only glanced his way.

"I will not lie to you. The time is past for the options I have given the world. Far past. You are here to answer questions about what your Group knows about Leviathanand her origins. That will be the duty of Sergeant Tyler; he will get the answers I need."

The complete turnaround from hospitable host to captor caught even the suspicious Lee off guard. They looked from the captain to her first mate. He momentarily looked as confused as they at the suddenness of the change, but recovered far more quickly.

"You will still have freedom of Leviathanuntil such time when security will have need of you. Answer the sergeant's questions truthfully, and you may survive your visit. Lie, and you'll find Leviathancan be a very cold place to be."

They watched the captain as she rubbed her temples and then lowered her head. She paced to the large double hatchways, and the two guards opened them.

"Until you are needed you will not be interfered with, as you have the run of my home."

Niles stepped away from the window.

"Captain, we know nothing about you or any part of your existence other than the relic we had stored in our vaults."

Sergeant Tyler smiled as he held the hatchway for Heirthall. His look told the group he was looking forward to confirming what Niles had stated.

The captain paused at the hatch and half-turned. Instead of commenting on Niles's denial of knowledge, she said, "If any of you were wondering, whales usually do not travel in pods this large. You see, they are sick, frightened, and without hope. They don't understand what is happening to them; their birth rate is down to near zero. In addition, I honestly don't know how to tell them that it's my own kind that is doing this evil thing to them. There is even greater, more brilliant, and far more ancient life that it may be too late to save." After making this mysterious comment she walked out with her guards.

Tyler again turned to the Group, smiled, and then followed the captain out of the compartment.

"The captain is ill, Mr. Samuels. I don't know if you noticed or not," Alice said, looking at the man and waiting for a reaction.

Samuels looked as if he were going to answer, but instead turned and left.

"I don't know if all of you noticed or not," Lee said as he picked a roll off the table and placed it in his coat pocket, then followed that with another. "But that little lady is mad as a hatter."

They all looked at him.

"As insane as Lizzie Borden." The senator looked around the interior of the salon. "And she has one hell of a little hatchet to play with--it's called Leviathan. And now she wants to ask a few questions after showing us that ax."

"Captain?" Samuels said, nodding for the security element to step aside. They looked at Alexandria, and when she nodded it was all right, they moved away, all with the exception of Tyler.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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