Goliath

“Progress always involves risk; you can’t steal second base and keep your foot on first.”

—Frederick Wilcox

“We used to think our future was in the stars. Now we know it’s in our genes.”

—James Watson

“I am not advocating human genetic engineering as a good thing. I am just saying it is likely to happen whether we like it or not.”

—Stephen Hawking, British physicist

CHAPTER 23

Aboard the Goliath

Rocky enters Gunnar’s stateroom. He is waiting for her as planned, naked beneath the blanket.

“Hey, sailor. Is there room in there for me?”

He smiles, holding open the blanket, beckoning her in.

Rocky unzips the Chinese jumpsuit, allowing it to fall down around her ankles. She climbs into bed, feeling the computer’s eyes upon her. “Darling, I’m freezing. Cover us up, would you?”

Gunnar complies, pulling the wool blanket up over both their heads—

—preventing the scarlet eyeball from reading their lips.

They grope beneath the covers, Rocky pressing her lips to Gunnar’s ear. “Were you able to speak with Sujan?”

“Yes,” he whispers back. “He still supports Covah, but I think he can be swayed. Chau has been missing for a few days, and the crew is getting paranoid. They’re going to confront Simon about it tonight.”

Rocky moans out loud, concealing Gunnar’s words from the stateroom’s sensor orb as she rolls on top of him. “We’re running out of time. We need to get off this ship and alert the Navy before the next missile is launched.”

“I thought about that. We can’t use the prototype without flooding the hangar, but the other minisubs are locked in their berths. Each Hammerhead is linked to Sorceress by way of a MEMS unit accessible beneath the sub’s control panel. Tear that unit out, and we should be able to power up the sub, which would automatically open its docking berth door.”

“There’s barely room inside those minisubs for one.”

“Which is why you’ll be the one who’s going to escape and get help.”

“But I’ve never piloted—”

“It’s easy. Foot pedals operate the propeller, joystick steers the craft, just like a jet fighter. Once you escape from the Goliath, you should be able to radio a message to Naval Intelligence. Right now, Sorceress is leading the Navy on a wild-goose chase. We need to get the YAL back in range before the Chinese deadline.”

Gunnar rolls over on top of her. He pushes her bangs away from her eyes, gazes into her hazel eyes … and kisses her.

She returns the kiss, then looks up at him, frightened. “They’ll kill you. The moment I escape—”

“Shh … I’ll be all right. Besides, I think maybe we’re destined to be together.”

“Maybe we’re just destined to die together.”

ATTENTION.

They pull back the covers, exposing themselves to the computer.

CEASE REPRODUCTIVE ACTIVITY. REPORT TO THE GALLEY AT ONCE.

Gunnar and Rocky enter the galley, the remaining five members of the crew already seated inside. Sujan Trevedi nods as they sit on the bench opposite the African Kaigbo, and the older Albanian physician, Tafili.

The two Kurd brothers enter from the kitchen. The older Arab, Jalal, looks over at Rocky—and blows her a kiss.

Gunnar flashes a look to kill.

David is the last to arrive. He takes his place at the head of the table. “Simon won’t be joining us tonight, he’s working late in the lab. In fact, it seems we have some tremendous news: Simon has found a treatment for his cancer.

Murmurs of excitement from the group.

“Fantastic,” Tafili says.

“The procedure will require some … invasive surgery. Sorceress is ready to proceed.”

“I want to be there with him,” Tafili insists.

“No,” David says. “Simon wants no visitors.”

“Someone needs to be with him,” Tafili says.

“I’ll be there. Everything’s already set. While Simon’s recuperating, I’ll be in command of the Goliath.” David’s expression turns dour. “Unfortunately, I also have some bad news to share with you. It’s so upsetting that I … well, I don’t know any other way to say it than to just blurt it out. Mr. Chau has been murdered.”

Gasps from the crew.

The Kurds turn toward Gunnar.

“No,” David says, “it wasn’t Gunnar, it was Taur Araujo. The attack took place in the engine room several days ago. Sorceress reports that Mr. Araujo had been drinking heavily when he confronted the engineer. An argument ensued, and quickly turned violent. Taur stabbed Mr. Chau in the throat, then hid the body under the water treatment equipment adjacent to reactor number three.”

“Where’s Taur now?” the older Kurd asks.

“Dead, from a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. Sorceress woke me an hour ago to inform me that Mr. Araujo had taken his own life. I found both bodies in the engine room. There is blood everywhere.”

Murmurs of disbelief.

“Show us the bodies,” Kaigbo insists.

“I can’t. The sight was too gruesome. I felt it best for morale’s sake just to allow Sorceress to dispose of both bodies.”

“David, how can we—”

“How can you what, Sujan? How can you believe me? You think this is something I’ve concocted? We have a witness, a witness incapable of lying.” David stands, glancing above his head at the scarlet eyeball. “Sorceress, inform the crew who murdered Thomas Chau.”

TAUR ARAUJO.

“Where are the bodies?”

THE BODIES OF THOMAS CHAU AND TAUR ARAUJO WERE EJECTED INTO THE SEA.

The African appears visibly upset. “Why didn’t your computer inform us about this earlier?”

“Sorceress has been programmed to run the ship. It was not programmed to interfere in squabbles among the crew. It does not understand the concept of murder. It’s a machine.”

“What happened in the Mediterranean?” the younger Kurd asks. “Why wouldn’t the computer obey orders?”

“The confusion was entirely Simon’s fault. Having sunk the Ronald Reagan, Sorceress assumed it had standing orders to attack and sink all aircraft carriers.” David paces slowly around the dining table. “All of you are upset, and so am I, so is Simon. He and Chau worked together for six years. Unfortunately, Thomas and Mr. Ali were not very … politically compatible.”

Sujan nods. “It’s true, they quarreled often. Thomas did not like the presence of a mercenary aboard the ship.”

“This is hard to believe,” Abdul Kaigbo says, shaking his head. “You should not have disposed of the bodies so quickly.”

“I did what I thought was best. If that answer doesn’t satisfy you, then inspect the engine room for yourself. Right now, we have more important things to talk about. As Sujan predicted, the Communists are still refusing to discuss Tibetan independence. Goliath will arrive at the maximum-range launch site at ten o’clock tomorrow morning. The Chinese have until noon of the following day to act.”

“The Chinese will wait until the last moment, then open dialogue with Tibet’s negotiators,” Sujan states. “Whatever is discussed will have no teeth, serving only to forestall our attack.”

“Simon is still planning on warning the residents of Quingdao?”

“Simon is not in charge, Abdul,” David says. “I am. To answer your question, warnings will be broadcast twelve hours prior to launch, just as we discussed. Now, if you’ll excuse me, Simon needs me in the surgical suite.”

Aboard the USS Scranton

Michael Flynn closes his eyes, straining to hear the ghost of a whisper over his headphones. The sonar supervisor and the other technicians remain focused on the green BSY-1 monitors.

The supervisor watches the signal evaporate. “Flynnie, you getting anything?”

Flynn shakes his head in disgust. “Sorry, Supe. She’s gone.”