The Last Goodbye
As always, I do not own these characters…well most of them anyway. Thanks to my betas who read over this story for me and pointed out my errors. I appreciate all your help more than I can say.
Chapter One
Harriman Nelson, owner of the submarine Seaview and the marine research institute that bore his name sat behind his paper-strewn, ornate desk, a phone trapped against his left ear as he fumbled for a cigarette, lighting it quickly.
"Sounds like a wonderful opportunity, George! I can't see anything on my schedule for the next two months that can't be delegated," he said in an excited tone as he flipped open his massive calendar and perused it quickly. "But I should check with my staff and make sure there's nothing I'm forgetting. If it all works out, I could have someone fly me out there in the Flying Sub and be there by…oh Monday."
A knock on his office door caused Nelson to put his hand over the receiver and call out a brusque, "Come!" Smiling, he saw his tall captain, Lee Crane, whatever he was about to say abruptly halted when he saw his boss on the phone.
"Yes…I think that all sounds magnificent, George. I've seen the photos from your press release when Triton was first powered up. I must admit to being quite excited by what I saw. The sheer scope of what you've done there is amazing! And I can't even begin to imagine what kinds of breakthroughs you'll achieve there. All right then…I'll get back to you shortly. Thanks, George."
Harry put the phone down and sat staring at it with an enigmatic look on his face as he tapped his fingers on the desk, his mind worlds away from NIMR.
"Admiral?" Lee called softly after a few minutes had gone by. "Angie said you wanted to see me?"
"Oh, Lee! Yes," he said excitedly. "That was George Sorenson from Scripps! You've heard about their institute's new sea lab?"
"You mean Triton?" Lee asked with a grin, knowing how enthused Nelson was whenever he talked about the newest underwater research station.
"Yes, Triton! George has asked me to fly there and spend some time on Triton…do some experiments and research with his scientists."
"That sounds like a great opportunity, Admiral!" Lee replied, knowing Nelson rarely took the time for vacations and pleased his friend seemed so excited about the prospect. "How long would you be gone?"
"Well, that's the thing, Lee. George said two months," he answered as he rose from his seat and began walking about his office, his cigarette waving in the air as he walked. "I've looked over the schedules and there's nothing that you and Chip can't handle in my stead. With Seaview's crew on an extended shore leave and only that one minor cruise planned in about…oh…six weeks I think, I can't see a reason to not tell George I'd come, can you?"
"No sir, I can't," Lee agreed, smiling as he watched Nelson resume his pacing, one hand rubbing over the side of his head as he walked, lost in thought.
"That cruise as I said is minor. I could reschedule it I suppose but it's something you and Chip can handle easily enough. Or I could ask Roy Park to go along on the cruise," he reasoned, naming an old navy friend that had stood in for Nelson when situations didn't allow Nelson to go out on a mission, as he continued to pace and chatter, almost as if he was unaware he wasn't alone.
"Oh, I don't think that's necessary, sir. The cruise is hardly complicated. As I said, I think it sounds like a great opportunity for you! I know how closely you've been watching Triton's construction."
"Yes, yes I have. It's a remarkable project, Lee!" he exclaimed as he walked to his desk, stubbed out the remnants of his cigarette and rifled through a stack of papers, searching through it until he found a folder. Pulling it out from the pile, he handed it to Lee.
Opening it, Lee pulled several photographs from it and whistled softly. "This is the completed sea lab?" he asked in astonishment.
"Yes, yes it is. They were taken a few days ago actually. George just sent them to me yesterday," Nelson said as he finally stopped pacing and seated himself on the edge of his desk and leaned towards Crane, who gazed at the photos in awe.
"This is…unbelievable, sir," he said in a hushed tone as he perused the photos. "It's quite an expansive underwater lab, isn't it?"
"Triton isn't just a singular structure, Lee but a whole complex of structures, each connecting to a central living area. These transparent tunnels that connect the pods are made of Herculite," he said, naming the material he himself had developed. Made of the same material as his submarine Seaview's front windows, it allowed the ocean outside to be viewed, perfect for observing the sea around them. "They connect pods of work stations in a circular configuration," he continued, pointing to the photographs that showed a central structure ringed by four smaller ones. Each of those had three smaller pods connected to it by tunnels that radiated out from those four. More tunnels connected the smaller pods together so each could be accessed without having to walk back to any of the other pods. "All told, there are sixteen pods connected to the central living area and to each other."
"What about air revitalization and water desalinization?" Lee asked, intrigued by the layout.
"In case something catastrophic happened to the main structure, each of these mid-sized pods has its own air revitalization system that connects to its outer pods. Desalinization system is found solely in the central structure and funneled through the tunnels to each pod. An emergency water supply would be stored in each of the mid-size pods."
"So the pods would be self-sufficient if something were to go wrong," Lee said nodding in appreciation of the safety features. "And communications?"
Nelson smiled as he heard the wonder in Lee's voice. "All sixteen pods have their own communications system so that messages or data can be sent back to the mainland or ships…anywhere actually…without the need to relay it first to any of the other areas or the central communications station. Each of these pods," he continued, pointing to the four larger outer pods, "and the smaller outer pods have their own access to the ocean by these hatches placed between every other pod. Scuba equipment is stored in these larger pods and the central living area."
"Fantastic."
"It is, Lee it is."
"It reminds me a lot of that underwater city that maniac Leopold Zeraff built in the Aegean Sea a few years back." *
"Yes, it reminds me of the same thing, also," Nelson murmured, remembering the city under the sea that had been built by Zeraff to control the resources of the world and thereby, the planet. "It would be hard to forget that one, wouldn't it? But Triton is far and away on a much different level than Zeraff's. George expanded Zeraff's city's features on all levels. And of course, Triton's mission is an entirely different one; one of pure research rather than world domination," he smirked.
"Always a good thing," Lee quipped
"Since Zeraff and his underwater city, different countries, agencies and groups have attempted what he did for many uses…mostly all for the advancement of science…and have succeeded…to a degree. Triton, however, is on a different level than any of those previous attempts, even Zeraff's. Now that Triton is a reality, I can't help but think of what the future may hold if things go well there. Why, some day a whole underwater city far larger than Triton could become self-sustaining! No need for weekly or monthly supply runs."
"How would you get food?" Lee asked, turning his eyes to Nelson who gazed off into space, a grin on his face as if he could see into the future and liked what he saw.
"We'd grow it!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. "The surface of the ocean is a vast open, untouched area, Lee. Food could be grown in self-contained pods on the surface, harvested and transported below to underwater labs."
"What about storms? Wouldn't that destroy the farms?"
"The pods would have the ability to be covered then lowered to a safe level. Once the storm passed, they would be raised to the surface again and the pods opened to the sun and air. Of course, we might have to choose a relatively calm area of the ocean for that but the possibilities are there."
"What about power?"
"Oh, any numbers of ways are being looked into by various countries, mostly the Japanese. One idea would be to use solar array panels on the surface to generate energy and transmit it to the lab below or possibly underwater turbines would convert ocean currents into energy, much as wind turbines do on land. A new idea being advanced uses heat from the ocean's warm surface to vaporize a refrigerant such as, oh say ammonia. The vapor would spin a turbine, and generate electricity. Why some day we could even tap into thermal vents and harness the energy within to heat undersea labs or cities!"
"That sounds incredible but how close are we to that?"
"Oh, not for a few years I would imagine. Probably more than a few years but the possibilities exist, Lee! The next few months on Triton will go a long way to deciding on the efficacy of it and will determine whether NIMR gets involved wholesale in the undertaking or not."
"You're thinking of investing in it?"
"Possibly. This type of research is, quite frankly, expensive. The biggest hurdle sometimes in research isn't ideas or implementation, but money. That's why this opportunity to spend some time there and do some research is an excellent idea," Nelson reasoned as he rose and began his pacing again.
"And you'd get to play," Lee joked, trying hard to hide the smile that threatened to destroy the complacent look he was trying to maintain.
"Play?" Nelson asked in a confused tone as he came to a stop in front of Lee.
"Play," Lee repeated, finally allowing his face to break out into a huge grin. "You sound just like a kid that's been given a whole box of new crayons and doesn't have any idea which one to use first."
"I'm sorry, Lee…I just…this is such a wonderful opportunity. I guess I got carried away," he said sheepishly.
"Understandable. When do you leave?"
"I told George I could be there by Monday if you didn't have any problem with my going. It is for two months. Just in case you need the Flying Sub during the next cruise, I'll have someone fly me out there in it and then return. Once Seaview's next mission is over, you can pick me up."
"I don't have a problem with you going at all. In fact if you don't go, I'll kidnap you myself and take you there!"
"I don't think that will be necessary," he laughed.
"I have to admit to being a bit envious," Lee said, looking at the pictures once more. "This looks like a fantastic venture. I wouldn't mind spending some time there myself. I just wish Chip and I didn't have that Naval Reserve training down in San Diego or I could take you out there myself and see this marvel."
Chuckling, Nelson clapped a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Tell you what…you take care of things here for me for the next few months and I'll do my best to arrange for you to spend a few days there. Deal?"
Looking up into Nelson's smiling face, he grinned like a schoolboy. "Deal!"
* First season episode City Beneath the Sea
