Sky Ship

by Robert P McAuley

  The terrorist had a questioning look on his face as he answered, “Yes, but who? The others are at their posts, and the colonel wouldn’t allow us . . .”

  Harun waved his hand towards the front of the ship. “The colonel? Humph! He knows only one thing, work, work and more work.” He gave a sly grin, “Who, you ask? Why not let the passengers decide who?”

  Ali shook his head, “No, Harun, the colonel or Hadi will be upset.”

  Harun unslung his Uzi and walked towards the door. “Let them be upset. They stay in their little command center all the time anyway. Just a little game and we put them back into their room.”

  Inside room number three, a group of the passengers sat about. When the door opened, they all became alert. Harun pointed his gun down, but all knew he was able to use it in an instant. He said with a smile. “We are having an exercise period. We need two to join in a game of soccer? If you have two such men, they may join us outside the door.” He left and closed the door behind him.

  As soon as the door closed Eddie Baurerman turned and looked at Ron O’Doyle, they both grinned and high fived each other. The two athletic, young men stood as one of the other men in the group stood. “Hey guys, I played some high school soccer. Can I help?” Eddie said as he took off his jacket, “Thanks Jimmy, but we played college soccer and made it to the finals. This should be good.”

  Jimmy patted the two on their backs, “Good luck guys.”

  A few of the others chanted, “Go USA!” as they opened the door and left.

  Harun looked at them and said to Ari, “Let us show them what soccer player Irajh turns out, my friend.” He turned to the Americans and said in English, “We play two-on-two, with the object being to place the ball by the opposite team. You get first play. Good?

  The Americans nodded and they separate on either end of the hallway. Eddie said to Ron under his breath, “I’m going in with the ball and will drop it behind me like we did against Dartmouth, you come up behind me and while I block their view, kick it past them.”

  Ron grunted in acknowledgment.

  The play went as planned and the ball shot between Harum and Ali.

  The boys laughed and high-fived each other.

  The laugh irked Harun who turned to Ali and shouted, “Where were you? Where did you learn to play?”

  Ali retrieved the ball from down the hallway and Harum motions for him to give it up to him. He had started the play before the boys were ready and it flew high. A sudden leap by Ron and the ball careened off his forehead and as it went dead on the floor, Eddie did a fast kick and the ball once again passed the two terrorists.

  The Americans are ecstatic! They go up 2-0.

  Harun is boiling. The terrorists try to score but are shocked as Ron stole and passed to Eddie, who had a clean breakaway.

  Harun swung his Uzi around and shot Eddie in the back, killing him, then gunned down Ron. Even Ali is stunned.

  Harun gave a great big belly laugh as he said. “You lose.”

  Dan sat on a small platform beneath hatch number six and as he searched through the toolbox, Jennifer kept watch. He shook his head, “No babe. I hoped that maybe someone left a stash of food or candy. No such luck.” He looked over to the next hatch and said, “Might as well try them all hon. Never can tell what we’ll find.” They started back down the ladder to the center walkway. They went up to the toolbox at Hatch Number Four, but again it held nothing but tools. “As advertised,” said Dan as he closed the toolbox cover, “the best tools money can buy, but no M&Ms.” Once again they started back down.

  The tension in room number one was becoming unbearable as Jim tried to keep them all in an upbeat mood. It was a losing battle. Arlene Neilson was on the bed with a headache. “I’m dying,” became her mantra. Bill sat caringly beside her, but rolled his eyes each time she muttered those words. The Trosses are reading the Bible. Levon is holding Joan. Jackie kept an eye out the window. Claire paced the room constantly.

  Hadi approached Aziz and said in a calm voice, “My colonel, why not feed the passengers? It will keep them quiet and as you know, a full sheep is a contented sheep.”

  Without lowering the binoculars, the colonel answered, “Why not? The food would just go up in flames anyway.” He looked at Hadi, “I was going to suggest just such a move anyway.”

  Hadi nodded, turned and opened the door. Salam was on guard duty and he told him to provide the passengers with food.

  The door opened to room number one and as usual they all recoiled at the intruder. But this time the intruder carried a tray of sandwiches.

  “Compliments of Colonel Aziz.”

  Amanda Tross was the first to realize what he set on the floor. “Sandwiches! Thank God!” She passed out the food, and they all ate eagerly. Jackie returned to the window and Claire began her pacing again. Jim took the walkie-talkie from the lavatory and motioned to the door, “Would somebody guard the door for me?”

  Elliot Tross stepped forward. “Allow me.”

  Hadi took this moment to check his men. He walked out of the gondola’s door and up the short flight of stairs to the passenger’s lounge. He went to check the door that was the entrance from the interior and was being guarded by Rashid and Arif.

  “Be very alert men, this is the last line of defense against that damned security man.”

  Rashid answered, “Forgive my correcting you, Hadi, but it is not the last line of defense, rather, it is the first door to be opened for action should we decide to avenge our comrades.”

  Hadi smiled as he patted his shoulder. “Well said my friend. But, for now, Colonel Aziz has deemed it be the stopping point for this man.”

  Dan and Jennifer crouched behind a gas cell. Dan looked at the door that separated the interior from the Passengers Lounge, and then looked all around, as he tried to think of a plan. He turned and whispered to Jennifer, “That door is the only way in and we can’t do anything to stop those madmen without going through it.” He scratched his head in thought then continued. “The only other way is to invite them in here.” He tilted his head towards the door. “I’ll bet you anything there are at least two guys just standing there with guns trained on that door. ”His walkie-talkie beeped. He quickly turned it off and pointed to the rear. “Come on hon, Jim wants to talk and this isn’t the place to strategize. Let’s head back to the rudder room.”

  They trotted back and Dan saw a new person in his wife. She led the way and had a spring in her step he hadn’t seen since she and her ex-team mate beat him and his ex-partner at volleyball on the beach at Coney Island. He grinned and thought to himself, Welcome back honey, welcome back.

  At the end of the long center walkway, they started down the inclined stairs and Dan smiled as Jennifer sailed over the tripwire then stopped and pointed it out to him. “Thanks babe,” he said, “got it.”

  Finally inside the room, Dan took the walkie-talkie and sat on the cot as Jennifer stood by the door and kept a lookout. He turned it on and hit the buzzer one time, short.

  Forward in room number one, Jim heard the short beep and opened the channel. “Dan?”

  Dan came back, “You rang?”

  In spite of all that was going on, Jim had to grin. “I have a sandwich for you.”

  “That’s great Jim, we finished the M&Ms and you can only split a Mounds Bar in two, so we have been dieting.” His voice became serious. “Hey Jim, I’ve been trying to figure out some way to get into the forward section, but the doors have gotta be under constant watch. I’m open for any suggestions, big guy.”

  The sudden voice of Claire behind him made Jim jump and almost drop the walkie-talkie, “What are you two doing? . . . ” She asked in a fierce voice

  Jim looked at her in surprise.

  “You're talking about sandwiches! For Chrissakes, don't you get it? This guy might be our only chance and you’re your talking about sandwiches! Here, give me the damn walkie-talkie!” She tried to grab the unit and Jim was forced to lift it high over her head.
r />   Dan’s voice was perplexed, “Jim, what's going on there?”

  Claire leaped and grabbed the walkie-talkie and rather than having it break, Jim relinquished it to her.

  “Listen!” she said in a frantic voice to Dan, “Do you understand that these maniacs are going to kill us all, unless you do something? I know you're probably scared out of your wits, just as we are, but we can't do anything; you can! I mean, at least we gave you some information; we told you there are fifteen of them.”

  Dan’s voice came back calm, but firm. “Nine.”

  “What?” she almost shrieked, “Excuse me? Oh, Christ. You mean, you didn't even get that right? There are fifteen of them - fifteen! Do you get it?”

  The same even voice came back to her. “There were fifteen. Now there are nine. Do you get it?”

  After a long pause she mumbled, “Oh . . . uh . . . yeah.”

  “Good. Now can I, please speak to Jim again?”

  She gave the walkie-talkie to Jim then sheepishly walked over and sat by the window, her head in her hands.

  Jim shook his head as he keyed the walkie-talkie, “Go ahead, Dan.”

  “Jim, we've gotta try to figure a way for me to get into the forward-“

  Jackie suddenly interrupted the conversation as she shouted, “A ship! I think I see a ship!”

  Everyone ran to the window as she pointed off to the right side of the airship. “See? Over there. Isn’t that a ship?”

  Jim quickly put the intercom into his pocket and ran to the window. My God! It is, he thought. He turned and went into the small washroom and spoke to Dan. “Dan, we spotted a ship. Can’t make out what type of ship, but it’s about ten degrees off the starboard bow.”

  Dan shot off the cot and in a bound was at the window. Jennifer looked but stayed at her post. He saw the lights of a ship coming through the evening’s twilight. “Damn! “ he said as he tried to put a plan together.

  “What is it Dan?” asked his wife.

  “A ship babe. A ship and it’s heading right towards us. We have to attract it somehow.” He looked around. “Damn! Not even a flashlight in here. Boy, I’m building some list of needed items!”

  Jennifer ran to the small window. “Honey,” she said, “I have an idea.”

  In the gondola, Karim spotted the ship first but didn’t dare say anything because the colonel was on lookout duty. Better for all of us to let the colonel see it first, he thought, It wouldn’t help to spot it first. He looked out the window on the opposite side. Suddenly he saw Colonel Aziz scan past it with his binoculars only to quickly return and adjust them as he strained to see the lighted ship. “A ship!” he shouted. He pointed out the right window and almost screamed, “A ship, and so damn close!” he turned to Hadi. “Quick! Tell the men to keep the passengers away from the windows. Have them sit on the floor.” He turned to Karim, “If we turned now, would we still fly over them?”

  Karim shrugged his shoulders as Aziz gave a look of contempt at him, “I need an educated guess, Karim. You claim to have flown this type of ship before. Will we fly over it or not if we turn now?” Answer me!”

  “I do think so, my colonel. Perhaps if it were sighted three minutes ago, we could have taken action. But, if we do so now, it will look suspicious.”

  Aziz hung his head in disgust. “Three minutes ago,” he said to himself, “Must I do everything aboard this stupid ship.” He then turned back to the pilot. “Stay on this course. Do nothing to arouse their suspicion.”

  Hadi went to the hallway between the rooms and the three guards immediately stood taller. “Have them all sit in the middle of the room. No questions from them and use the weapons if necessary.”

  The terrorists ran to the rooms and threw the doors open.

  At the first touch of the knob, Jim and his group of passengers got away from the window. Ali entered and shouted as he waved his weapon, “All sit in the middle of the floor. Hurry, hurry do it now.” They all responded and he stood there with his weapon trained on them.

  Aziz, Hadi and Karim watched the ship draw closer. “It’s an oil tanker colonel,” said Hadi.

  “How ironic,” answered the colonel, “soon most oilers will be flying the flag of Irajh.” That got a hearty laugh from the three of them. “Dim the lights Karim,” Aziz ordered. Suddenly, all three jumped as their radio squawked and came to life.

  “This is the oil tanker, Mexico City to zeppelin,” said a voice with a distinct Mexican accent, “come in please zeppelin.”

  Aziz nodded to Karim who held the mike. “They're probably just sending a greeting. Go ahead Karim, answer them.”

  Karim depressed the send button on the mike and said, “This is the United States zeppelin Sky Ship to Mexico City. How are you this evening, Mexico City?”

  “Mexico City to Sky Ship, we are A-O.K.” there was a pause then, “Are you in distress?”

  The terrorists look at each other, puzzled.

  Karim kept his cool as he answered, “Sky Ship to Mexico City: Um, negative, Mexico City, we are not in distress. Why do you ask?”

  On the bridge of the rolling oil tanker stood a seaman wearing binoculars. He looked up at the huge airship. He turned to his captain. The captain took the binoculars from him and put them to his eyes. He wasn’t used to having to double-check his men. If his first officer said there was trouble, then there was trouble. But, he thought as he looked for himself, sometimes the Americans were too touchy. And he didn’t want to start some kind of an incident. He looked at the tail section as his man had pointed to, and sure enough, a small square of light was blinking off and on, giving the international code of SOS.”

  “Great idea honey,” said Dan as he flipped the light switch off and on for varying amounts of seconds. “Hope my Boy Scout training comes through for us.” He kept sending the SOS.

  The Mexican Captain gave the binoculars back to his First Officer. He then leaned against the window and picked up the ship’s radio microphone again. With a look of concern on his face he said to no one, “Why me? Why me? Its been a long day and I wish to eat and retire to my cabin.” He shook his head as he looked back at the airship, keyed the mike and said, “Mexico City to Sky Ship: I ask because someone is sending an S.O.S. distress signal from the tail of your ship. Over.”

  The three terrorists are stunned. Karim looked to Col. Aziz for help.

  After a moment the oil tanker captain came on the air again, this time there was no hiding the disgust in his voice. “Mexico City to Sky Ship: I repeat: Someone is sending an S.O.S. Over.”

  Aziz whispered to Karim with lips as tight as a line and eyes that bulged, “A drunk passenger!” He hissed, “Tell them it’s a drunk passenger, that’s all.”

  Karim nodded and went ahead, “Yes! Uh, yes, Mexico City, we read you. Our apology, Mexico City: We are a luxury cruise dirigible and,

  unfortunately, we have a drunken passenger on board who has been doing some pranks. We will tend to him. Thank you for your concern. Have a good trip, Mexico City. Over and out.”

  After a moment, the oil tanker captain said in a harsh voice, “Maybe so, El Capitan, but the law of the sea - if not the air - is that distress signals must be reported. So, when I end the conversation, authorities will be notified. And now it’s over and out!”

  The airwaves went silent as Aziz’s vein stuck out like a roadmap on his temple. “Bastard! Stupid peon bastard!”

  Karim has a look of helplessness on his face as Hadi slammed a chair into a wall. They all looked at the ship as it just started to pass on the airship’s right side. Suddenly the darkness disappeared in a flash of red and yellow flames and an instant later the sound of an explosion along with the shock wave reached the airship. A second later the ship is a sinking hulk of burning wreckage. It went under in less than two minutes. The three terrorists stared in disbelief at the blazing tanker.

  Karim was the first to utter a sound. “What-? How-? Heaven must surely be watching our mission.”

  A laugh came from
Hadi and he said, sarcastically, “Well, Colonel, we are fortunate that General Aziz thought to monitor the radio transmissions. Aren't we?”

  Col. Aziz glared at Hadi as he realized what had transpired. My brother! he thought, my brother, onboard that submarine! He turned and kicked the overturned chair as a smirking, Hadi turned and left.

  The sudden explosion had caused Dan and Jennifer to shut their eyes. Now they stared as the burning tanker is extinguished as the ocean swallowed it.

  “The goddamn sub,” Dan said as he held Jennifer close, “those sneaky murdering bastards.”

  ”Maybe they sent a message before, before, it exploded.” Asked a hopeful Jennifer.

  Dan shook his head. “I don’t think they had enough time.” He went and fired an arrow into the pillow at the end of the room.

  Shouts of joy resonated throughout the steel tube of the submarine as she went on cruising beneath the sea. Captain Ghazi had his eye glued to the periscope. He looked just like any movie character that commanded a sub with his white hat on backwards as he surveyed his first kill through the periscope. His First Officer slapped him on his back and hugged him. There was great joy on his boat. He went to the ship’s intercom and opened it. A short burst of static told the crew there was an announcement coming and they all looked at the speakers.

  Ghazi stood close to the mouthpiece and said, “Good work, men. We have practiced long and hard for just such an occasion and it paid off more than you may ever know.” He closed the mike and said to the diving officer, “Take us down, stay on course.” He left the conning tower and was about to enter his quarters, when he stopped short and knocked once on the doorframe. “It is I general, Captain Ghazi.”

  “Enter Faisal!” answered General Aziz as he reclined on the captain’s bunk. “Enter.”