Virginia felt Alexandria's hand slide from her face as she walked toward the large viewing glass once more.

"My great-great-grandfather once trusted men. Octavian Heirthall committed evil acts to ensure the United States remained the light of the world, for in his opinion, they could do such magnificent things--so young, so naive, but they saw a path and they took it. The reward for his duty to his adoptive country?" she asked as she turned on them. "His friend assassinated, his family murdered before his very eyes, and his only remaining daughter, Olivia, hunted like a criminal for the rest of her life."

"We don't know--"

"I do not expect you to knowanything, Dr. Compton. I am explaining why trust is no longer an option with my family. The test has been before you since the first particles of contamination flowed from the rivers and into the sea, when the first coal-fired factories started spewing their filth all over the globe. The test has been failed by the species, thus you have forfeited certain privileges, one being the right to transit the seas for profit." She held up a hand as she looked up and saw the first officer step out onto the balcony above and nod his head. "And now I invite you to see firsthand the effects of the world's murderous folly against nature." She turned and gestured out the window.

As they watched, there was nothing. Then a very loud bang sounded against the outer hull of Leviathanand echoed throughput the giant vessel. The collision alarms sounded all around them as Niles and the others went to the glass and started looking around.

"All hands, rig for multiple collisions," a voice said over the loud speaker.

"Oh, God, hang on," Niles said as he grabbed the rail in front of him.

Outside the glass, a quarter-mile-wide piece of ice cascaded down into the sea from the ice cap above. The jagged edge bounced crazily off the observation glass and then hit the bow before being tossed back along the hull and out of the way. Another struck and then another. Many hit the water after calving from the bottom of the pack, then rose back up because of their buoyancy. Still, giant shards of ice were being sheared off the bottom side of the polar ice cap. From above the surface, the larger pieces let loose with a loud roar as they split and fell through the thin pack ice and down into the depths.

Leviathanpushed and maneuvered its way through the minefield of ice. The glass withstood the pounding, but was in danger of being pushed in by mountain-sized pieces of frozen water.

"Captain, we are sustaining minor damage. We have leaks in engineering and the forward weapons room. Recommend we dive."

"The polar ice cap is melting above us. It is dying from a global phenomenon many politicians have said is only a cyclical happening. Global warming cannot be stopped, possibly not in our lifetime--that is not an opinion, but fact. The temperature in the past ten years has risen by six degrees."

"Science agrees that the outer edges of the cap are indeed melting, but--" Virginia started to say.

"We are under the direct center of the North Pole. At the rate of the meltdown, in ten years there will be no ice at the top of the world," she answered calmly and matter-of-factly. "Officer of the deck, resume previous course and speed, please. Take Leviathanto two thousand feet minimum depth. Secure the collision alarms and send a damage report to my cabin."

"Aye, Captain, resuming previous course and speed."

Heirthall clicked off the intercom and looked up as the bow of Leviathandipped sharply, making them all grab hold of the table for support.

"There are far more disturbing things you will see before your time is up on Leviathan. Please, observe, and I will be happy to explain the depths of the oceans' despair. For now, I must leave you," she said, closing her eyes against the pain they all saw on her features. "I will see you at dinner." She looked up at them and tried her best to smile, but failed miserably.

"Captain, are we here to be interrogated or taken on a sightseeing tour?" Niles asked as he stepped away from the observation windows.

Heirthall closed her eyes, lowered her head, and then turned to face Niles and the others. She swayed, then grabbed hold of one of the chairs to steady herself. Farbeaux made a move to assist but Alexandria held up a hand and stayed him. She looked up and saw that First Officer Samuels was making his way down the spiral staircase. She almost looked conspiratorial when she looked back at Compton and the others.

"Please, give me time. I need you onboard for a reason I cannot go into now. When Sergeant Tyler asks his questions, answer any way you like; tell the truth, don't tell the truth, it is no matter, but buy me some time."

"Captain, are you all right?" Samuels asked as he took her by the arm.

Heirthall straightened and then looked at her first officer. "I am fine, Commander, just tired." She shrugged off his hand and made her way out of the observation lounge.

Samuels watched her go. "I must apologize for the captain's behavior. She's ... she is--"

They noticed Samuels's words stopped when he saw that Sergeant Tyler was watching from above.

"Please excuse me," Samuels said and quickly left.

They watched Leviathan'sfirst officer leave. When Niles looked up he saw that Tyler had disappeared also.

"I must reevaluate my earlier prognosis, Niles, my boy. It's not just the captain who is insane, but her entire crew."

"Senator, we need to buy some time. We have to give Captain Everett and Pete Golding time. They will find us. Until then we have to find out what's going on here, because from what I just saw, we may be in more trouble than I thought."

"Why? I mean, besides the obvious?" Lee asked.

Virginia watched the hatchway where her old friend had disappeared and knew exactly what Niles was thinking.

So did Henri Farbeaux, who was standing stock-still, his efforts to find the wet bar placed on hold.

"Because, my dear Senator Lee, a moment ago, for a reason only she knows, Captain Alexandria Heirthall looked terrified."

LEVIATHAN

Niles felt ridiculous in the clothing he had been provided. While looking somewhat like a tuxedo, it was minus a bowtie, and instead a high half-collar with a blue sapphire stickpin was perched above the white dinner-jacket lapels. The material felt strange against his skin and was unlike anything he had ever felt before.

He watched the water flow past the massive bow windows, which had been fully opened once more to reveal the sea passing by as if they were in a fighter jet. He closed his eyes as someone touched him on the shoulder.

"Damned strange feel to the tuxedo, eh, Mr. Director?" Senator Lee said as he stood next to Niles.

As Compton turned, he saw at least a hundred members of the crew as they stood in various areas of the forward compartment, some eating strange-looking hors d'oeuvres and others just standing and talking amongst themselves. They all wore what Niles assumed to be the dress uniform of the Leviathan, consisting of a pure white short-tailed jacket with gold and blue braid at the cuffs, white pants and shoes, and again, like himself, no tie. The women crew members wore the same, except they wore knee-length skirts. All were elegant looking; even the senator managed to look debonair.

As Niles was about to answer Garrison, Sarah walked into the room, followed by Farbeaux. Many of the male officers turned to look at the woman and her evening dress. The deep blue and green gown was like the colors of the sea. It was long and flowing and was placed upon a woman who looked as miserable as Niles had ever seen her. Farbeaux, on the other hand, was dressed in his evening wear and looked as if he were made for it. They both approached and smiled.