Sky Ship

by P McAuley, Robert

  Next he typed in; SHIP CROSS SECTION DIAGRAM and the ship appeared as a cross-section line drawing on the screen. He ran a finger along to the passenger rooms in the forward section. “Now you’re thinking, McKee.”

  Four of the terrorists sat in the hallway that separated the eight rooms that housed the captive passengers, their guns at the ready.

  In the first room were Jim McFarlane, William Neilson III; his wife Arlene; Levon and Joan; a lesbian couple, Claire and Jackie; and the elderly Amanda and Elliot Tross.

  Arleen Nelson has Jim cornered as she pleaded, “But, you know the ship better than anyone. There must be something you can think of.”

  Jim shook his head; his hair flopped about, as he answered, “I don’t know what to think, Mrs. Neilson. I'm as shocked as all of you are . . . More so! I can't imagine how they got guns aboard.”

  Joan whispered to Jim as she held Levon's hand, “Isn't there some kind of security system? Something that would alert authorities in case of emergency?”

  Jim rubbed his temples. “There's a radio, of course, telephones, a computer and a fax machine. But, apparently, nobody got a chance to use any of those before we were over-taken.” He shrugged his massive shoulders, “Our cell phones are gone and I really don’t know what to say.”

  Levon asked, “What if they took the ship off course? Wouldn't that alert somebody? Like the Air Traffic Control people?”

  “Not necessarily.” Jim said as he started to pace the cabin. “Airships do go off course. They try to keep out of bumpy weather and might go around it. The Air Traffic Control people know this and expect it all the time. Bottom line is, no, it wouldn’t alert anyone if Sky Ship deviated from its planned course a bit.”

  ”What about the guns?” asked Arlene Neilson, “can't the shooting them off make us crash?”

  “No,” answered a very tired Jim, “we're safe from that. Almost every part of Sky Ship is made of Kevlar. That's the same . . . “

  “The same material that bullet-proof vests are made of,” answered Bill Neilson.

  “Exactly.” Answered Jim.

  “It's not right!” Chimed in Amanda Tross, “We paid four thousand dollars for this trip! We don't deserve to be treated like this!”

  Her husband Elliot gently patted his wife’s shoulder, “Amanda, honey-“ –

  She shook his hand off and continued, “We're old! We only wanted to enjoy some of the time we have left! Somebody has to do something about this!”

  “Amanda,” Elliot Tross said in a slightly sterner tone of voice, “they have guns and they used them once. They’ll use them again if they feel they need to.”

  His wife was adamant on being heard by the small group in the room. “But maybe somebody can speak to them. They probably don't understand who we are!”

  “Wait, maybe-maybe she has a point,” said the slim blond-haired Jackie. “Maybe we can speak to them.”

  “Bill Neilson shook his head and murmured “Oh, for God-sakes!”

  Jackie opened her hands palm up as she shrugged her shoulders, “I- I just mean, well, they seem-they seem to be on some kind of a political mission.

  “I can't believe-! Please, would somebody talk some sense into this girl? Remarked Bill Neilson with a disgusted look on his face.

  “Young lady,” said Arlene Neilson, “these people are- are terrorists. They shoot people for not seeing their point of view.”

  “But,” answered Jackie, “I'm only saying that- that maybe we can talk to them-to- to that, Colonel Aziz, because they're- they're political terrorists.”

  Finally, Claire threw her hands up in the air and said, “Oh, I feel so relieved! They're not terrorists - they're political terrorists!” She looked at Jackie and finished with, “I can’t believe what I’m hearing.”

  Joan tried to hush everyone with, “Shhhh! Let's all try to stay calm.”

  Amanda went and stood by a sobbing Jackie. “I think she's right! I think somebody should try to speak with them!”

  Bill Neilson's mouth fell open at this and said, “You're both nuts.”

  “Hey, that's my wife you're talking about, buster!” shouted Elliot Tross with clenched fists.

  Levon stepped in between the men and spoke in a calm voice, “Folks, anger's not gonna get us anything positive. We have to stay all together in this.”

  Jackie tried again. “I still say we could explain to them that we understand the plights of political prisoners.”

  Claire looked at her and said, “You know Jackie, and I always thought your naivety was kind of charming, but right now, you just sound nuts.”

  Jackie began to cry, her fear taking over. Claire watched her, unable to bring herself to provide comfort.

  Joan said in an even voice, “I think these people are extremely dangerous and we should be very careful dealing with them.”

  Levon shook his head in agreement with his wife. “Joan's right. Let's try to stay calm, first of all.”

  Jackie started to sob, “I'm scared . . . I don't want to die.”

  Claire finally relented; approached her friend and held her gently. “Hey, I'm scared too.”

  Dan is moving fast as he raced down the center walkway towards the front of the ship. He reached what looks like a huge block of one-story buildings. He smiled, “Good! The passengers’ living quarters.” He hid in the shadows, as he made sure there were no guards about. “Okay Danny Boy,” he said to himself in a whisper, “let’s get a situation report.” He climbed up an access ladder and got on top of the rooms’ roofs. There were small access panels on top of each one for ventilation purposes. He went to room number one and unscrewed the wing nuts that held the vent cover down. He lifted the cover slightly and listened before removing it completely. He couldn’t believe his ears, “It’s Jim!”

  In the room, there is a slight metallic sound as Dan rapped lightly on the ceiling.

  Arleen Neilson looked up. “What was that?”

  The men and Claire gather under the vent.

  They suddenly see the panel open and Dan’s face filling it.

  Dan whispered, “Jim!”

  Jim looked like he saw a ghost. “Dan! Oh, thank God you're alive, lad! I've been praying every moment!”

  “Jim, where's Jennifer?”

  “She's in the interior, Dan.”

  “In the in-! Back here? Are you sure, Jim?”

  “Yes. I gave her a pass-card. She slipped back there unnoticed.”

  Dan closed his eyes. “Jesus…” He then spotted Levon. “Levon, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to take a rain check on that lunch date.”

  Levon grinned. “Heh. Some other time, Dan. But, let’s make it happen.”

  “Damn right we will. Now, somebody - please - go to the door, and listen for the guards.”

  Elliot Tross stepped forward and said, “I'll do it.”

  Amanda Tross looked up and demanded, “Who are you? We demand to be released! We're American citizens, you know.”

  Dan did a little nod to her. “I believe you.” Then to Jim, “Jim, take this.” He dropped down a small hand-held radio. “Now Jim, tell me what the hell is going on.”

  “Terrorists, Dan. From the Republic of Irajh - led by a Colonel Aziz.”

  Jackie spoke up. “Abdul Aziz.”

  “Okay. What do they want?”

  “They want the Israelis to release political prisoners.” Jim said as he watched Tross at the door. “They said they contacted the American and the Israeli governments. If their demands are met, they'll return us to Florida tomorrow.”

  “And what if their demands aren't met Jim?”

  Bill Neilson stepped under the opening and said, “They say they're going to take the ship further out to sea and blow it up.”

  “Holy shi-...Okay, first things first: I know there's at least three of them.”

  Claire spoke up, “There's ten of them.”

  Joan joined in, “Ten? I think there's more than ten.”

  Bill Neilson spoke up again. “She's
right. There's about twelve.”

  Everyone started arguing at the same time.

  Dan said through clenched teeth. “Stop! Come to some kind of an agreement.”

  “There are fifteen.”

  Everyone turned and looked at Elliot Tross as he went on. “I counted the enemy. Trust me: I served with the Eighty-Second Airborne Division in Normandy. There are fifteen, and they have Uzi light machine guns and 9mm pistols.”

  Dan agreed. “You're right. I saw nine millimeters and Uzis. All right, I better get out of here. Is there any food in there? I’m famished.”

  “No,” said Jim “they haven't fed us.”

  “What are you going to do?” Asked Claire.

  “Well, I'd like to call out for pizza, but my radio is only a short-range.”

  Suddenly Elliot Tross said in a loud whisper, “Someone's coming!

  Jim and the others dispersed from under the vent just as Salam threw the door open wide to Room #1. Other terrorists opened the doors to the other rooms that held hostages. They all shouted, “Stand in front of the window! Wave at the ship! Put a smile on your face right away or die right now.”

  Jim and the others went to the room’s windows as they were told to do, and saw a U.S. Navy Destroyer cruising off their starboard side. Sailors lined the deck and waved up at them. Many of them had binoculars and were gazing up at the ship. The passengers waved back with smiles on their faces

  Inside the airship’s interior, Dan was running as fast as he could to get to the Auxiliary Control Room.

  Inside the gondola, Col. Aziz, Hadi and Karim are wearing the jackets and caps of the Flight Crew. They are all waving at the ship and laughing.

  “Colonel,” asked Hadi, “do I make a good First Officer in this bag of wind airship?”

  Aziz smiled as he waved dressed in Eckener's jacket and cap. “Stupid Americans.” He said, “In a day or two they will be thinking of how they missed their chance to stop the world’s economy from collapsing.”

  The laughter stopped short as the loud chopping sound of the Destroyer’s Sea Knight helicopter suddenly appeared and flew very close alongside the gondola. The pilot and co-pilot are visible. The gondola radio crackled to life and the helicopter pilot’s voice came over the Sky Ship’s radio.

  “U.S. Navy helicopter to Sky Ship, come in.”

  Colonel Aziz picked up the airship’s mike and as he depressed the button to answer, sees his hand is shaking. He also sees that Hadi noticed it too and had a smile on his face. Aziz pressed the button and answered, “Sky Ship to U.S. Navy helicopter: We read you. Is there a problem? Over.”

  “Navy chopper to Sky Ship, only problem me and my crew have is trying to figure out what keeps that monster up. Man, she's as big as a city!”

  The terrorist’s glance at one another, relieved.

  “Hey,” said the co-pilot over the radio, “ I hear you got a casino in there. Any high rollers? Over.”

  “Sky Ship to navy helicopter, Yes, yes - high rollers, all looking to beat the house.”

  “Chopper back to Sky Ship. Boy, I'd sure love to bring my paycheck in there someday.”

  “Sky Ship here,” answered a now confident Aziz, “Perhaps you will be the one who beats the house. Over.”

  “Chopper back to Sky ship. Ha! In my dreams! Well, Mama's callin' - gotta go home to roost for the night. Over.”

  “Roger, Navy helicopter. Have a good night. Over and out.”

  “Navy Sea Knight to Sky Ship. Have a good trip, Sky Ship. Over and out.” The helicopter curved right and dived away back toward the Destroyer.

  The terrorists relaxed.

  In the Auxiliary Control Room, Dan is at the window; frantically trying to angle a small mirror so that it reflects the sun to signaled the destroyer or the copter. But both are speeding away. “Crap!” He angrily tossed the mirror into an open locker and slammed the door closed. He sat down and rubbed his temple when his walkie-talkie beeped. He took it in hand.

  “Dan, are you there?”

  “Yeah, I'm here, Jim.”

  “Have you found Jennifer?

  “Not yet - and to be honest, Jim, I'm almost out of my mind with worry.”

  “Dan, was her name on the passenger list?”

  “No Jim. Why?”

  “Because she could be hiding in lots of places, and because her name is not on the passenger list, they don't know to look for her.”

  “Well, that's some consolation.”

  “Danny Boy, Are you well-hidden, lad?”

  “I don't think they'll find me in my little cubbyhole. Besides, they think they killed me. Jim, I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but ... they killed some of our guys back here.”

  Jim's in the lavatory while fellow passengers stand nearby or listen for guards. He sighed sadly. “I know, Dan. I figured as much when I didn't see everyone . . . The damn bastards!”

  “I'm sorry, Jim I really am. Is there any chance that one of the Flight Crew got to use the radio before being taken hostage?”

  “I don't think so: I had seen Captain Eckener before they put us in the room and he looked utterly powerless. Besides the Navy didn’t act as though they knew anything was wrong.”

  Dan nodded his head, “Damn.”

  “I've been wracking my brain, Dan: How in God's name did they get guns aboard?”

  “I figured that one out the hard way: They were delivered by air to a topside hatch by some kind of an aircraft.”

  “Ah! Of course! They are a devious lot.”

  “And murderous too. We have to be prepared for the worst, Jim.”

  “You mean, in the event the Israeli’s refuse to release the prisoners?”

  “I mean, even if they do agree to release them. With crazies like these, anything is possible.”

  “Your point is well taken, Dan, but what do we do?”

  “First I've gotta find my wife.”

  “Dan?”

  “Yeah, Jim?”

  “Be careful, laddie.”

  “Hey, don't worry. It's not like I'm gonna get myself thrown overboard, or something.”

  Puzzled, Jim looked at his walkie-talkie.

  Dan climbed back down from the roof of the passenger’s rooms. He stood and looked along the length of the hull walkway. “Damn this is a big place!” He rubbed his bandaged hand and thought. Okay Dan, let’s look at this like a cop. First off, she knows about the terrorists. So she must be hiding from them. Second: She was last seen by Jim heading into the ship’s interior. So logically she is hiding in this vast gasbag and even if I get close to her hiding place, she’ll figure I’m a terrorist and keep her head down. He shook his head as he said out loud, “Well I can only solve this problem by looking in every nook and cranny. Might as well start from here and walk towards the rear, and if Jim’s right, the bad guys don’t know about her . . . Or me.” He started a slow, methodical search as he walked towards the ships’ rear.

  As Dan walked the hull walkway, Jennifer slowly walked along the center walkway. She came to one of the ladders that went up to the hatches that lined the ship’s top. She hesitated as she tried to see the end of the ladder. “I wonder?” She bit her lip and tightened her neck as she realized her next move. “I think I have to go to the top and see if I can . . . can.” She looked around, and then spotted a cleaning rag tucked between some guy wires. Jennifer grabbed it, tucked it inside her blouse and put a hand on the rung of the ladder as she looked up. She shook her head in disbelief, “Whew! Good luck, Jenn, good luck.” She started a slow climb up and made sure she never looked down for fear of freezing up.

  When she got to the small platform at the top she almost hugged it. “Thank you Lord,” she said as she looked at the hatch over her head. She stood up slow and put both hands on the round wheel that locked the hatch cover and turned it to the left. It unlocked after six turns. With the help of the wind pushing on it, Jennifer lifted the hatch cover and it opened. She put her head up and was almost slammed back against the hatch cover.
She pulled her head back down wide-eyed. “Oh my God, what was I thinking? This is dangerous!” She turned to go back down and thought, “My girls! I have to do this for my babies.” She grasped the edge of the hatch and forced her head up into the slipstream. Jennifer braced herself as she took out the cleaning rag and searched the sky.

  In the gondola, all is quiet. Karim was standing at the helm while Ali sat on the floor with his back against the wall. Col. Aziz and Rashid were scanning the ocean with binoculars and talking in low voices. A light popped on in the engineering console. And immediately Karim said, “My colonel, a hatch is open.”

  Aziz turned and looked at him. “What does that mean? Explain.”

  “It means that hatch,” he looked at the indicator, “number three has opened on the top of the airship, sir.”

  Aziz shrugged his shoulders. “By itself?”

  “I don’t know my colonel. What hatch did Mansur go out when he collected the weapons? Perhaps he didn’t lock it properly”

  “I don’t know what hatch he used, you fool.” He turned to Ali and Rashid and said in a low voice filled with anger, “You two go up to hatch number three and check it out. Right away!” He turned back to scan the ocean.

  Jennifer held onto an antenna that was near the open hatch and searched the sky for aircraft.