Leviathan

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

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

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

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

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

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

"I don't see how this is connected--"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

LEVIATHAN, 420 MILES NORTHEAST

OF THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS

(THE POLAR ICE CAP)

Niles thought it the best course for Alice and the senator to act as one team, he and Virginia another, and because Sarah seemed to tolerate Farbeaux far better than any of them, they would comprise the third team. The idea was that as they toured the ship in teams, they could cover more ground, and at least keep the eyes that would surely be upon them far busier tracking three groups than they planned. Niles stressed the fact that they were prisoners, not guests. Their task now was to find some way off this seagoing prison.

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

The deck was quiet, exceedingly so, as operators manned their stations in silence. Niles spotted a man standing near the holographic chart table. The system was like their map visuals at the Event Group, only this one was more compact and didn't use a water-misting system. This was actually a three-dimensional view of the ice cap surrounding Leviathan.

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

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