Sedulity
Book One
Impact
By David P. Forsyth
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual people, things or entities is purely coincidental. Many geographic locations and scientific terms mentioned are real, but the author makes no claim to accurately describing them. This novel is for the personal entertainment of those who purchase it. It is unlawful to copy, duplicate, or distribute any portion of this book in print or any form of electronic media without the express written consent of the author or his assignees. This work is protected by international copyright laws and intellectual property rights. Please respect the rights of independent authors.
All rights reserved by David P. Forsyth. Copyright © 2014.
Cover Art by William O. Rosenthal (2014)
Acknowledgements
This novel was inspired by numerous apocalyptic tales of fiction, especially “Lucifer’s Hammer” (Copyright 1977 by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle), although the storyline is totally different. I wish to acknowledge and thank all the apocalyptic authors who filled my formative years as a reader with comets, asteroids, mushroom clouds, plagues, monsters, alien invasions and other horrifying disasters, but there are far too many to list individually. Their stories of death, destruction, survival and redemption helped me escape into other worlds and eventually decide to create some of my own. I should also thank my high school math teacher, Richard Robinson, for opening up his personal library of apocalyptic fiction and turning me on to classics such as Alas Babylon and Earth Abides. You created a monster!
To the new generation of indie authors, I salute you! Much of my personal inspiration in recent years has come from talented writers and friends who are too numerous to list, but Hugh Howey is my indie idol. Thanks for all the great advice and supportive tweets! I do want to make mention of some fellow authors who helped me create ApocaCon: Dan Williams, Saul Tanpepper, Shawn Chesser, Craig DiLouie, Peter Cline, Julie Rudolph, A. American, and Monique Happy Editorial Services all deserve kudos for their participation and support. Special thanks to Show Producers and Direct Radio for their invaluable support and encouragement. Kevin, you rock the apocalypse.
I owe a debt of gratitude to the Beta Readers of this book who provided input on the plot and spotted more than a few typos. Christopher O’Grady, Stephanie Lunsford, H.J. Harry and Lee Close, thank you!
Extra special thanks to all the fans of my zombie books who seem to be looking forward to a different type of apocalypse. I hope I don’t let you down. And for anyone who wants to become a writer, my advice is to read and read and read as much as you can until you feel the need to write. Then write something you would want to read.
No acknowledgement would be complete without thanking the love of my life, Pamela, for all of her support, encouragement and occasional tongue-lashings to keep me on track. I love you! And a special thank you to the talented William Rosenthal who has created the cover art for all of my books. I love you as I would my own son. Finally, this book is dedicated to my mother, Gloria Brooks Forsyth (1923 – 2013). Love always, David.
Sedulity
Book One
Impact
By David P. Forsyth
Chapter 1:
Seventy percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water. Oceans are the cradle of life, a playground for all manner of creatures, yet wield some of the most destructive forces of nature. Their depths are dark and mysterious. Their surface is fluid, churning with powerful and often unpredictable results. Those who know the ocean well respect its uncaring and fickle moods. There was a reason that the evolutionary seed of mankind crawled out of the ocean in search of safer habitats. Yet man returned to sail the seas, at first cautiously and then with confidence born of ingenuity and arrogance. Some men even ventured below the surface in submarines, or met it on its own terms with little more than facemasks and tanks of air on their backs. Others challenged and reveled in the power of the ocean by riding the powerful surf for fun. Many more harvested the bounty of the seas to feed themselves and earn a living. Millions of people chose to live close to the ocean because it provided a comfortable climate and means of livelihood, as well as access to foreign travel and trade.
In recent years the timeless tradition of ocean travel evolved from emigration and trade to pure recreation. Ocean liners that once transported immigrants and adventurers between continents were replaced by cruise ships taking vacationers on circular routes that included a few stops in exotic ports of call before returning to deposit the passengers where they had come from. Cruise ships themselves became the destination. These ships were designed to be floating resorts, catering to those who sought pampered service and indulged in copious consumption. As a symbol of decadence, it was hard to find a more perfect example than a modern cruise ship, sailing the seas aimlessly while consuming vast quantities of fuel and filled with passengers consuming equally decadent amounts of food and alcohol. Perhaps it is fitting that one of the largest and most luxurious cruise ships ever built would play a role in the event that ended the modern world as we knew it.
Kevin and Amanda Summers reclined in twin deck chairs on their private balcony, watching the stars come out, while swells broke against the frothing wake of the massive cruise ship. The weather was mild, considering they were approaching the equator in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Halfway into their epic cruise from California to Australia, the Summers were having the time of their life. Kevin still marveled at the deal they had scored. A twenty-one day cruise with concierge class balcony stateroom for only $1,200.00 per person! They even got to bring their five year old daughter, Emily, along for free. All meals were included and they got a $500 bar credit to boot! Not to mention the ports of call. After a week at sea their first stop on the Big Island of Hawaii had been epic, including a day trip to the lava flows. The following day in Honolulu had also been memorable, with a tour of the Pearl Harbor Memorial followed by a walking tour of Diamond Head and an afternoon on Waikiki Beach. After two more days at sea they had spent a day on Tarawa Island where they went snorkeling among sunken ships and decomposing amphibious vehicles from the epic World War Two battle of the same name. In a few days they would stop at Fiji for a day on the beach, followed by a stop in New Caledonia. Then it was a straight shot to Sydney, Australia, where they would spend another week exploring before flying home to Los Angeles. Kevin shook his head as he remembered that the one-way flight home would cost almost as much as the three week cruise to get there, but those were the kind of deals you could get on a repositioning cruise.
The SS Sedulity had just completed the northern summer season of cruises along the coast of Alaska and was now en route to Australia where she would conduct one and two week cruises of the South Seas during their summer season. The long one-way trip to relocate was not in high demand, so it was possible for bargain hunters to get some excellent deals. Kevin and Amanda were not wealthy, so this type of exotic cruise might be a once in a lifetime experience. No strangers to cruising, they had taken several of them in recent years, including seven day cruises of the Mexican Riviera and the Caribbean. They had clued into the deals on repositioning trips when they took a one-way cruise from Florida to Italy. That two week crossing had cost less than a regular one week cruise of the Caribbean. It had also taught them to keep an eye out for deals on repositioning voyages. This was their longest cruise so far and they were loving it.
The Sedulity was an amazing ship. Almost as large as an aircraft carrier, she could barely fit through the Panama Canal. Built to carry more than 3,000 passengers in the lap of luxury, this was only her second year in service and she still had that new car smell. The range of amenities and entertainment ensured
that it was almost impossible to get bored, even on a three week cruise with minimal ports of call. Amanda loved the spa. Kevin liked the gym and played pick-up games of basketball. There was a childcare center and even babysitters for Emily. Kevin and Amanda spent a lot of time poolside with their Kindles by day and playing penny slot machines at night. The live variety shows in the onboard theater were good and they had satellite TV in their room, including the Cartoon and Disney networks for Emily. Kevin and Amanda also had a favorite bartender named Armando. A few big tips on the second day of the cruise ensured that all of their cocktails were stiff. On that particular evening they were waiting for the babysitter to arrive and sharing a bottle of red wine that they had brought aboard.
“I love this old vine Zinfandel,” Amanda said. “And I can’t think of a better place to drink it either. Just look at that view, Kev! Have you ever seen anything like it?”
“No, Mandy,” Kevin replied with a smile. “Those stars aren’t even the same ones we can see from home. In fact, I can’t wait to see the Southern Cross for the first time and understand why we came this way.” Amanda had similar taste in music and reached out to punch him lightly in the shoulder. “Ouch,” he mocked injury. “I thought you like Crosby, Stills and Nash songs? But this really is a special night, honey. We’ll be crossing the equator soon.”
“So what?” she asked. “What’s so special about that?”
“Quite a bit,” Kevin said. “I want to go up on deck for the Line Crossing Ceremony and I bet you’ll enjoy it too. Sailors have been doing it for hundreds of years, but there’s a real difference once you cross the line. Up north all of the hurricanes and large storm patterns rotate counterclockwise. Once we cross the equator the Coriolis Effect reverses the weather patterns. Cyclones spin clockwise. You might even see it yourself when you flush the toilet and the water spins the opposite direction.”
“Really?” Amanda asked in disbelief.
“No,” Kevin chuckled, “not really. I mean the toilet thing is said to be an urban legend, but I’ll be checking to make sure. It might be more apparent in a draining bathtub or sink. The weather patterns really are reversed though. That’s a fact. It has to do with the rotation of the Earth. We call it the Coriolis force. I always found it fascinating and I’m excited to see if I can spot any differences in cloud patterns.” Kevin worked as the weatherman for a local television station in Los Angeles. It was probably the most boring job possible for a meteorologist, since he could basically say it wouldn’t rain every day and be right 98 percent of the time. Nevertheless, he was intrigued by global weather patterns and was working on a PhD in Climatology at Cal Tech. Amanda seemed to lose interest as soon as he said the reversing toilet flush was a myth, but he had more to say. “It’s not just the way toilets or weather patterns reverse. Everything above them is different too. A whole new sky that we have never seen. Billions and billions of stars that never shine on the Northern Hemisphere. We’ve never seen any of them before. It’s not just a new world down here. It’s a whole new universe.”
“Okay, Carl Sagan,” Amanda joked, “I’m game. As soon as the sitter gets here we can head up to the casino until it’s time for your line crossing – but if it includes line dancing, you can count me out.”
“I’ll drink to that,” Kevin agreed as he raised his glass in a toast.
****
“Twenty-one-hundred hours report, Captain. Speed 22 knots. Heading 173 degrees true. Sea state mild with two foot swells and clear with unlimited visibility. Radar screen is clear. GPS, LORAN and inertial-navigation are synched. All systems nominal. Forty-five minutes until the scheduled Line Crossing ceremony. Reducing speed to 19 knots to stay on schedule.”
“Thank you, Mr. Crawford,” Captain Krystos replied over the phone in his quarters to his First Officer on the adjoining Bridge. “I’ll be there in half an hour. Organize a Bridge watch so we can both officiate at the ceremony.”
“Aye aye, sir. I’m looking forward to it,” the younger man said.
The captain smiled as he hung up the phone, thinking that his second in command was probably looking forward to seeing a lot of the young female crew members jumping into the swimming pool during the ceremony, if not seeing the Captain make a fool of himself. In fact, the captain was looking forward to it as well. There were not many occasions aboard ship when he could let his hair down, so to speak, and have some real fun. His smile expanded as he glanced in the mirror and rubbed his bald head. Still smiling, he walked from his office into the adjoining Captain’s Suite. “Lydia, bring me my Neptune robe and wig. It’s time to get ready for the line crossing.”
“Yes, darling,” replied a stout brunette in her mid-50s.
Captain Mikal Krystos, a native of Athens, was born to be the master of a ship. His wife, Lydia, was a perfect match. She was a strong woman who had raised four children while her husband spent most of his life at sea. Now that the children were grown and Mikal had risen to command of a luxury cruise ship, Lydia was able to accompany him. Though not yet retired, their life at sea was just as good, perhaps better. They could travel together, sharing the Captain’s Suite on a premier cruise ship, while Mikal earned full pay. All their meals and amenities were gratis and first class. Lydia got to explore foreign ports of call, even when Mikal had to remain aboard. And when at sea they were treated like royalty. Yes, it was good to be master of the Sedulity. Lydia brought him a long white robe that she draped over his normal captain’s uniform and handed him a wig of long curly grey hair. “You make a handsome king, or god,” she said as he stood in front of the full length mirror. “Now where did you put your trident and crown?”
****
Armando Ramos liked working at the poolside bar. During the day he saw plenty of women in bathing suits and the evenings were generally quieter on deck than tending bar in one of the night clubs inside the ship. Tonight would be livelier on deck and he would have a ringside seat for the Line Crossing ceremony. It was an old tradition that was still popular among sailors from around the globe. Armando had heard horror stories about the hazing that used to take place on naval ships, especially an Australian submarine where several sailors were physically and even sexually abused in the 1990s. That had brought an end to extreme initiation rites, but the core of the rituals remained the same. Armando had gone through it himself two years previous during his first voyage across the Equator. The crew would undoubtedly pull some pranks on the newbies below decks, but the formal ceremony would only involve them jumping into the swimming pool in their uniforms, after which the Captain – dressed up as King Neptune – would issue them Line Crossing certificates. They would carry those with them to whatever ships they served on in the future, to avoid going through the initiation rites again.
More of the passengers were coming out on deck as the late dinner seating wrapped up. Many of them made their way to the bar and kept Armando busy. One good thing about being a bartender on a cruise ship was the steady tips. In addition to the 15% added to every drink, some of the savvy passengers would slip a few $20 bills to a favored bartender at the beginning of a cruise. That would earn them stronger than normal drinks. Armando recognized one such couple approaching the bar.
“Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Summers,” he said with a smile. “Where’s the little princess tonight?”
“Emily is asleep in the cabin with a sitter,” Mrs. Summers said.
“Well it’s good to see you two out having fun on your own. What can I get you this evening? Rum and coke?”
“That sounds great, Armando, thank you,” replied the handsome gentleman who appeared to be in his mid-thirties. Kevin watched approvingly as Armando poured considerably more rum than coke into two glasses of ice. Smiling he asked, “So what can we expect at the Line Crossing ceremony?”
“Should be quite a show, sir,” Armando said. “Several hundred of the crew have never crossed before. Some of them will be on duty, but the rest are supposed to report here for the ritual.”
�
�And what happens then?” Mrs. Summers inquired.
“Well, Ma’am, they will get a good talking to by the God of the Sea. If he judges them worthy, they receive the Baptism of the Line and a blessing to protect them from the dangers of the Deep.”
“What if he doesn’t find them worthy?” she pressed with a smile.
“In the old days I guess they’d be made to walk the plank, or keelhauled,” Armando joked. “Now I guess they would just lose their job and be put off the ship at the next port.”
“Then I hope they’re all found to be worthy,” Mr. Summers said as he and his wife moved away to make room for others at the bar. Armando smiled and nodded. He liked the young couple. There were hardly any other families with children aboard. Not many families could afford to take a three week cruise at the beginning of the school year. In fact not many couples below retirement age could afford to take such a long cruise either. The average age on this voyage was well over sixty. Armando put on his trademark smile and went back to mixing cocktails.
****
Kevin and Amanda found seats near the pool, but close to the windows that lined the open deck to shelter the pool area from the wind. Here they had a view of the pool deck, but could also gaze out over the open ocean and even up at the unfamiliar stars. It was a warm night and they made themselves comfortable while passengers and crewmembers continued to file onto the deck. Kevin glanced up at the night sky as his thoughts wandered.
“You know, they’re doing nightly astronomy classes starting tomorrow,” Kevin said. “They set up a few telescopes on the upper sports deck. I want to attend at least a few of those classes. I know most of the major stars in the northern sky, but I’ve only heard about the constellations of the southern hemisphere.”
“So you’d rather star gaze than party with me?” Amanda teased.
Sedulity (Book One) Impact Page 1