Sedulity (Book One) Impact (19 page)

****

After the Captain and Mr. Crawford returned to the Bridge,
Kevin and Professor Farnsworth remained in the Navigation Room and stared at
the map on the chart table. Of all those aboard the
Sedulity
these two
men had the best idea of what the asteroid strike would do to the rest of the
world. Looking at the chart they could see listed depths in various parts of
the ocean. They knew how the waves were formed, where they emanated from, their
approximate speed, and where they would rise like liquid mountains to smash
into coasts inhabited by millions of people.  That knowledge was heavy burden,
but it was not all they knew.

“I’ve been thinking about the cloud cover and global weather
patterns,” Kevin said quietly.

“Yes, those are major concerns,” the Professor said in an
equally soft voice.

“Do you think it will extend globally?” Kevin asked.

“Quite possibly,” the Professor nodded. “The impact itself
has already vaporized dozens of cubic miles of seawater which is condensing
into rain and cloud cover. Assuming your estimate of the asteroid’s size being
approximately a mile wide is in the ballpark and considering the ocean is about
2,000 meters deep where it hit, if it was an iron core object, I would project
a crater of between ten and twenty miles wide. Now that crater on the seafloor
is filled with molten material that is turning more and more seawater into
steam.  It will produce a continuous supply of additional steam until the
crater melt cools down, which could take days or weeks. This could easily
become a global weather event, although I’m not sure if the fact that this took
place so close to the equator will add or subtract from the effects. As a
meteorologist, you might have a better idea about that.”

“I’ve been thinking about that,” Kevin said. “Ordinarily the
weather patterns in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres are almost
independent of each other. Water and air currents turn back upon themselves
when they approach the equator and it is very rare for major storms to form at
the equator, or cross from one side to the other. This will be an exceptional
case. Although the asteroid impact was slightly south of the equator, the cloud
cover it generated is rushing out into both hemispheres.

“Normally, the part of the ocean we are in now is referred to
as the
doldrums
. It’s an area where the winds are generally calm, or
non-existent. Early sailing ships were often becalmed for days or weeks at a
time when crossing the equator. That might be one of the reasons that sailors
developed the Line Crossing ceremony that we almost got to enjoy earlier. There
was cause to celebrate the ship moving across the equator. Hurricanes and
cyclones almost never develop near here, but they will this time.

“The ocean water temperature is always warm here and the
asteroid crater will heat it even more. The cloud cover will spread out past
the Intertropical Conversion Zone and collide with the Trade Winds on both
sides of the equator. At that point I would imagine they will form a giant
tropical cyclone in the South Pacific and a massive hurricane to the north. The
cyclone will move southwest, with a clockwise rotation. The hurricane will move
northeast, spinning in a counterclockwise rotation. That’s a result of the
Coriolis Effect, but I’m sure you know that, Professor.”

“Of course,” the Professor nodded and smiled. Like any good
teacher he was happy to be lectured to by a student who knew what they were
talking about. “And the predicted results?”

“In essence, the impact generated storms will charge across
the Pacific in both directions,” Kevin conjectured. “As long as the impact
crater continues to pump steam and heat energy into the equation, I would
expect additional large storms to form and spin off in every direction. In all
likelihood these storms will break out of the tropics and continue towards the
temperate zones. If they are large enough, they will even reach the Arctic and
Antarctic regions. We could easily experience global cloud cover with monster
storms raging wherever high and low pressure zones collide, especially over
continental land masses.”

“Short-term and long-term effects on climate?” the Professor
asked, as if he didn’t know, or simply wanted Kevin to be the one to say it out
loud.

“In the Northern Hemisphere the brunt of the initial storms
will hit Central America or Mexico. If these monster storms are as big as I
expect, they may jump over into the Gulf of Mexico, regain power over the warm
water, and threaten the entire Gulf Coast of the United States. They will be
coming from the opposite direction of most hurricanes in that region, so they
could also disrupt normal weather patterns and even divert the Gulf Stream.
That would have serious impact on water temperatures along the East Coast and
the North Atlantic, even changing weather patterns in the UK and northern
Europe. If the North Pacific hurricanes are really large, they could move even
further up the West Coast of North America. If they reach the coast of
California, which is something almost unheard of due to prevailing cold water
currents, the low pressure zone could interfere with the Jet Stream. The Polar
Vortex we experienced during the winter of ‘14 might seem mild in comparison.
That’s in the short-term forecast for the next few months. Potential long-term
effects are truly scary, Professor,” Kevin said. Then he looked back at the map
on the chart table and continued.

“As for the Southern Hemisphere, I’m not really familiar with
prevailing weather patterns down here, but I’m sure these storms will disrupt
and defy them. I wouldn’t be surprised if they sweep all the way to South Africa
and wrap back up into the Atlantic Ocean. The amount of water vapor being
pumped into the atmosphere is truly unprecedented. So the effects are
unpredictable,” Kevin paused and looked up to meet the Professor’s wise eyes
before concluding. “What is predictable with reasonable certainty is, if we end
up with global cloud cover and storms for any length of time, worldwide
temperatures will plummet. And what we heard on the news about volcanic
activity could make matters even worse. If several large eruptions eject
billions of tons of dust and ash into the upper atmosphere, on top of all the
evaporated seawater, it could easily be enough to throw the Earth into an ice
age.”

“Exactly,” the Professor concurred. “The clouds will reflect
sunlight back to space, as will the snow falling in the higher latitudes and
elevations. Volcanic ash will combine with the storm clouds to block the sun
from heating the oceans. Currents will slow. Weather patterns change. The
snowline moves south. Glaciers and ocean ice shelves expand. If it lasts more
than a few months the changes will be permanent, or take decades, perhaps
centuries to reverse. The survivors will be pumping out as much CO2 and other
greenhouse gasses as possible in hopes of global warming and it won’t make a
damned bit of difference.”

Kevin felt a small spark of relief that he wasn’t the only
one aboard who knew the truth, but it was far overshadowed by the dread and
dismay of having his fears confirmed. It was terrifying to realize that the
apocalyptic catastrophes sweeping around the world that night were only the
beginning of global climate change that would threaten most of human
civilization. “We have to focus on the short-term threats right now,” he said.
“Keep track of the path of destruction and look for surviving ports, as the
Captain said. However, when it comes time to decide on a final destination, we
should keep the long-term projection in mind. We don’t want to sail somewhere
that will become uninhabitable.”

****

GNN announced that the President would be addressing the
nation in a few moments and Lydia left the dayroom briefly to notify her
husband. The Captain returned with her and went to sit behind his desk where he
also had a good view of the TV on the wall. A few moments later Kevin and
Professor Farnsworth entered the room. Kevin sat on the floor in front of the
sofa where his wife and daughter were. The Professor stood next to his wife,
who was seated in a chair. Nobody spoke as the President took the podium. His
mood was somber and he displayed a characteristic squint that he wore when he
didn’t like something, as if he smelled something distasteful. He looked down
at his notes for a moment before looking up into the camera, but focusing
slightly left on the teleprompter.

“My fellow Americans, fellow citizens of the world and
members of the human race, it is with a heavy heart that I bring you this sad news.
As many of you know by now, today the Earth was struck by an object from outer
space, what we believe was an asteroid. It came without warning from the
direction of the sun, thereby alluding the ability of astronomers to spot it in
advance, and struck our planet in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. While there
was initial relief that it did not hit a populated area, it is now clear that
this ocean impact has unleashed a wider catastrophe.

“Scientists have confirmed that the asteroid impact generated
massive tsunami waves and has triggered major earthquakes around the Pacific
Rim. I have issued mandatory evacuation notices for all coastal areas on the
Pacific Ocean in anticipation of the waves’ arrival. Unfortunately, earthquakes
have disrupted many of our evacuation plans. Many of you, especially on the
West Coast, are listening to my voice on the Emergency Broadcast System. This
alone should confirm the gravity of the situation. I cannot overemphasize the
necessity and urgency for you to seek higher ground. These waves are larger
than any previously recorded and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center believes
the waves will travel many miles inland along low-lying coastlines.

“Although the waves are still hours away from California, it
is imperative that evacuations commence immediately. I and my staff have been
working to organize evacuations. We made arrangements for passenger and freight
trains to be loaded with evacuees and taken inland. Commercial airliners and
military transport planes were redirected and deployed. Buses and trucks were
tasked to evacuate people to higher ground. The National Guard and active
military units have been ordered to assist. Unfortunately, the serious
earthquakes in California have crippled all public transportation and
infrastructure. Therefore, it is my sad duty to warn residents in coastal areas
of California affected by earthquakes that they should not rely on any form of
organized evacuation. I am sharing this information in order to give each
individual, hopefully working together with their neighbors, friends and
family, a chance to evacuate on their own. You have more than ten hours to get
as far away from the ocean and as high above sea level as possible. Don’t waste
another minute of that time. May God Bless you and grant you Godspeed.

“As for the rest of the nation, and the world, I have more
sad news to share. We have confirmed that tsunami waves hit the coast of
Australia with devastating results. Other island nations are also falling
victim to this catastrophe. Those of us on the other side of world can do
little more than pray for their safety. The United States will do everything in
our power to assist with international rescue and recovery efforts, but this
act of God and Nature is truly unprecedented. Even with the best of intentions,
it has become clear that nothing can be done to prevent millions of lives from
being lost or disrupted. Therefore, it is with a heavy heart that I offer
prayers and condolences for all those who have been and will be lost during
this crisis.

“I want to close with a message to those in my home state of
Hawaii, most of whom are also listening to me on the Emergency Broadcast System.
The evacuations began soonest there and every coastal community had an
evacuation plan in place. I am pleased to report that the majority of Hawaiian
residents have already reached higher ground. Nevertheless, we know that some
will not reach safety in time. I want you all to know that I am praying for you
and the land of my birth. For those of you in peril, I say
Kulia i ka nu’u, s
trive for the
summit. Never give up. The survivors of this calamity can rest assured that I
will send aid and assistance to the people of the Hawaiian Islands.

Finally, I cannot stress strongly enough the need for anyone
living anywhere close to the shore of the Pacific Ocean to evacuate to high
ground. I will be back on the air again before the tsunami waves reach
California with another announcement. Until then the Emergency Broadcast System
will continue to provide those of you in threatened regions with local news and
instructions. God bless and save all of you in the United States of America and
elsewhere around the world.”

The President turned and left the room, ignoring dozens of
shouted questions from the White House Press Corps. The GNN anchor began to
repeat highlights of the President’s statement while bullet points scrolled
down the screen. Those gathered in the Captain’s dayroom aboard the
Sedulity
were not surprised by what the President had to say. It was simply confirmation
of what the news had been reporting and Kevin had predicted. There was instead
a general sadness and resigned acceptance that what they feared was actually
happening and nobody had the power to stop it.

****

Chapter 16:

The nation of Indonesia was composed
of over 18,000 islands which were home to over 200 million people concentrated
on 6,000 of those islands. Even before the asteroid strike Indonesia had been
the repeated victim of tsunamis, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The
tsunami of 2004 killed more than 175,000 Indonesians. The eruption of Krakatoa
in 1883 was one of the most violent and deadly volcanic events in history. At
the time of the asteroid strike there were already more than 150 active
volcanoes in Indonesia and thousands of active fault lines. They began their
destructive work long before the asteroid’s tsunamis arrived.

It began with a magnitude 8.5 quake that
accompanied the eruption of Mount Semeru in East Java. Soon dozens of quakes
and eruptions occurred throughout the archipelago. Some of them were strong
enough to generate tsunamis of average size and destructive potential. Hundreds
of seaside villages were damaged or swept away, tens of thousands of people
perished, but that was only the beginning of the end. Volcanic eruptions drove
people away from high ground to seek the perceived safety of the shoreline.
That was a tragic decision for multitudes.

The ability to warn the Indonesian population
of the approaching tsunamis was limited to begin with and hampered further by
loss of power after the earthquakes. Millions of people were at or near the
shorelines when waves more than a thousand feet high tore through the
archipelago. It was later estimated that more than 100 million Indonesian lives
were lost before the sun rose on that fateful day. No disaster in human history
came close to matching that level of decimation, yet it was only a portion of
the death and destruction being unleashed by the asteroid. The Philippines were
next on the hit list.

****

It only took a few moments for Armando to figure out how to
use the Iridium phone. He unfolded the satellite antenna mounted to the side of
the phone and was happy to see it had charge and signal. He dialed the country
code and local number for his family’s home on the island of Luzon in the
Philippines. The phone rang half a dozen times before he heard the voice of his
mother. Speaking in rapid Tagalog, Armando said, “Mother! You must get everyone
up and leave the house right now! A tsunami is coming!”

“Armando?” his mother asked in surprise. “We know. Your
father told us. We had an earthquake tonight and then he listened to the radio.
He says this will be the end for all of us. We were just leaving when the phone
rang. Oh, Armando, we were all so worried about you! Your father said something
terrible happened near where your ship should be right now. We prayed for you,
but I could tell that your father thought it was hopeless. Thank God you are
alive. I love you, my son! Hold on while I get your father.”

There was silence for precious seconds while Armando listened
with tears in his eyes. Of course his father would know what to do. He always
did, but it was heartbreaking to hear that his father had lost hope.

“Armando?” his father’s voice expressed disbelief and
despair, mixed with joy. “My son! You’re alive?”

“Yes, Papa. I’m safe on the
Sedulity
, but you are all
in danger! An asteroid hit the ocean near us and the ship was almost lost, but
the Captain drove us right up and over the waves, just like you used to do in
the Bangka pump boat! It was an amazing miracle that we survived, but those
waves are heading for you now! You must take the family to high ground!”

“I’m afraid it is too late for that, my son,” his father
said. “We are far from the hills and the car won’t start. I tried and tried. So
we will take the Bangka out to deep water and I will try to do what your
Captain did. Our family will face the waves on their own terms and God will
decide our fate. I can only thank Him and your Captain for saving you tonight. That
is enough of a miracle for one family. We are all so proud of you and we will
love you forever.”

“I love all of you too,” Armando said through blinding tears.

“We must go now, though I fear it may already be too late.
Whatever happens, know that you are the light of this family, the flame that
burns in our heart. Your mother and brothers and sister want to talk to you
more, but we have no time now. There will be more than enough time for
everything when we meet again. We all love you. Good bye, my son. God bless
you.”

The call ended and Armando broke down in uncontrollable sobs
of love and despair. He knelt in the lifeboat and prayed for his family, asking
God to spare them with another miracle. The odds were astronomical, but his father
was an experienced sailor and anything was possible, wasn’t it? Armando remained
in the lifeboat until long after his home in the Philippines had been swept
away and he had run out of tears. He spent all of that time picturing his
family in the Bangka, his father at the tiller with a grim smile of
determination, as they climbed an impossibly tall wave with no end in sight.

Armando tried to imagine them cresting the wave and sailing
on across calm seas, just as he and his father had done on that same old pump
boat when they challenged the surf long ago, but it was no use. His imagination
always froze on the image of his family climbing the face of the wave. The same
wave he had seen coming at him in the Sky Lounge. He felt pride for his father
and the rest of his family. They had not run to hide in an elevator. They faced
the wave head-on, just like Captain Krystos had. Armando pulled the faces of
his family from his memory, placed them in the Bangka, wearing expressions of
love and courage as they ascended the wave. This is how he would always
remember them.

****

 The ship’s theater was a scene that mixed depression with
pandemonium. It had begun with shock and disbelief during the news reports, followed
by deadly quiet during the Presidential Address, then the audience erupted like
one of the volcanoes around the Pacific Rim. At least a hundred passengers had
stormed out of the theater, pushing members of the crew aside, to see for
themselves what lay beyond. Many screamed when they saw the death and
destruction surrounding the lifeboat muster stations. Most returned to the
theater in various states of shock, while others roamed the halls of the ship
in dazed confusion.

Lieutenant Reiner didn’t regret turning on the news. The
passengers and crew deserved to know what was happening, even if all the news
was bad. At least it had tempered some of the complaints. The passengers were
no longer demanding better service and amenities. Most of them realized that
their own distress and discomfort was minor compared to millions of others
whose lives were being lost around the world. Those who had been demanding
answers now realized that they would have been more content in ignorant bliss.
Groups of passengers gathered to speak and argue passionately about what was
happening and what should be done. Others wept quietly alone or as couples. One
group had gathered to pray near the stage. Their example spread and the prayer group
grew quickly. Reiner wished he could join them, but duty called in the form of
his radio.

“Mr. Rainer? This is the Captain. What is your status there
in the theater?”

“It’s a bit unsettled, Sir. Some of the passengers forced
their way out after we watched the President of the United States on TV.”

“They all saw that?”

“Yes, Sir. Once the power was restored I thought it would be
a good idea to see if we could watch the news. It isn’t very good news, is it,
Sir?”

“No, indeed not. Well, I suppose they had to learn about it
sooner or later. What is the general reaction down there?”

“Shock, despair, grief, at least among the majority. Some of
them are angry and many seem to be in denial. It’s a distressing situation, to
say the least. Do you want me to try to keep them here all night?”

“I don’t see as we have much choice. Most of the staterooms
are gutted by fire or flooding. I’ve ordered the stewards to inspect all the
rooms and make lists of those that are habitable, but we’ll need to move most
of the passengers around and probably double many of them up. Which reminds me,
Mr. Reiner, can you make a list of all the surviving passengers in the theater
with their names and room numbers? We’ll need that when it comes to reassigning
berths. I also need an accurate head count to determine the number of casualties.”

“Yes, Sir. I’ll get on that right away. Is there anything
else?”

“Yes, Lieutenant, I meant to compliment you on the way you
took over down there after Captain Stevens was lost. It won’t be forgotten. You
might also be interested to learn that my wife survived being washed below
decks and Mr. Summers has been reunited with his family.”

“Thank you, Sir. That’s the first bit of good news I’ve heard
tonight, at least since you brought the ship through those waves. We’re all
alive thanks to you and I know the passengers are all anxious for news from the
Bridge too.”

“That’s understandable. I’ll make an announcement soon. Carry
on the good work, Mr. Reiner. Bridge out.”

 The Lieutenant put the radio away and was little surprised
to find Hank Donner waiting patiently to speak with him. “Yes, Mr. Donner, I’m
glad to see you returned to join us. What can I do for you?”

“Well, actually I was hoping it would be the other way
around,” Hank replied. “I was rude to you earlier. I let my mouth and boots do
more of my thinking than I should. You were right. It’s a mess out there. And
now that I’ve seen the news on TV, well, I guess I should have been thanking
you and the rest of the crew instead of making more trouble for you. So I
wanted to see if there’s anything I can do to help you now?”

 “Thank you, Mr. Donner,” Reiner said with a genuine smile.
“I’ll keep your offer in mind. For now it would really help if you support our
efforts to keep these passengers calm and safe here in the theater. The crew
are bringing other survivors here too. You’ve seen what it’s like out in the
rest of the public areas and I understand most of the staterooms are damaged
too. So this is the best place for the passengers to stay tonight while the
crew works to make the ship habitable.”

“I understand. Y’all got a lot of cleaning up to do,” Hank
said, not realizing that he sounded like a pampered passenger again. “I think
this bunch will calm down soon. Now that they can watch the news it’s not as
bad as being kept in the dark, even if the news is downright awful. I’ll do
whatever I can to help you keep the herd calm.”

“We’ll do our best to keep you and the other passengers comfortable
and informed. The crisis isn’t over yet, but the people here are better off
than millions of others along the shore of this ocean. Their homes won’t float
over the waves the way this ship did.”

“Ain’t that the truth?” Hank said. “I can’t think of a better
place to ride out the end of the world.” Hank smiled and walked back to the
First Class section.

Lt. Reiner watched him go and started thinking about what
would happen after the initial crisis passed. He realized that Mr. Donner had
not extended his offer of help to include “cleaning up” the mess. If things were
as bad as they looked in the rest of the world, a lot of things would be changing
aboard the
Sedulity
. If the passengers were no longer the source of
wealth to operate the ship, they would soon become more of a liability than an
asset. The focus of the crew would necessarily shift from catering to the
guests to caring for the ship. Unless they found a safe port to unload these
people soon, the passengers would have to start pulling their own weight. That
thought made Reiner smile slightly. He could foresee a rude awakening in store
for Mr. Donner and some of the other esteemed guests.

****

After the President’s address Amanda asked for somewhere that
she could put Emily to bed and the Captain suggested that the Summers and
Farnsworths take up residence in Staff Captain Stevens Suite on the other side of
the Bridge, as it was now vacant. It had a similar layout to the Captain’s
suite, although slightly smaller in order to fit First Officer Crawford’s
stateroom into the same overall space on the blueprints. The Staff Captain’s
suite included an identical dayroom and master bedroom, but it lacked the
combination private dining and conference room found on the other side of the
bedroom in Captain Krystos’ suite. The Professor and his wife were happy to
reserve the sofa bed in the Staff Captain’s dayroom, leaving the late Staff
Captain’s bedroom to the Summers family. It was much more than they could have
asked for. The Captain insisted that it was the least he could do and explained
that he wanted to keep Kevin and the Professor close to the Bridge in their capacity
as advisors.

Kevin carried his sleeping daughter into the other suite and
Amanda said she wanted to stay and cuddle with Emily in bed. Kevin didn’t blame
her. There was nothing he wanted more than to hold and cherish his family, but
he knew there would be no sleep for him that night. He had to watch the news
and keep track of the path of destruction, but he was glad that Amanda would be
spared the rest of the overt carnage. She had already seen enough to know that
their world would never be the same. There was no need for her to watch their
home and millions of others be swept into oblivion on television. Kevin kissed
both of them and returned to watch the news with the Captain and Professor.