Chapter 11
~~~~12:4o am, April 15, 1912~~~~
The first of the lifeboats were filled and lowered onto the frigid water. None of the passengers were completely worried yet, more confused. To them nothing was wrong with the seemingly unsinkable ship. Half returned to their quarters despite orders, the other half moved to the smoking room to wait for more definite news on the situation.
The few that listened quickly made their way to the lifeboats, figuring it was better to be safe than sorry.
With the lack of passengers rushing to the boats the Officer allowed the lowering of the first boat, with it only being half full.
Nikola watched from the Captain's cabin, peering through the window.
He seethed.
"What are they doing?" he growled.
Helen looked over to him.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"They haven't fired any distress rockets, are they idiots?" he growled.
"I take it this isn't your first boat sinking?" she looked at him.
He scoffed.
"Don't have to be experienced to know that if they don't start firing them there will be problems," his hands clenched together.
"Nikola, what are you thinking of doing?" she went up to him.
He turned to her and grinned slightly.
"What I do best," he said. "Cause trouble."
Helen sighed and grabbed his hand.
"Be careful," she squeezed his hand gently.
"Of course," he smiled. "Helen, I…"
Helen looked into his eyes.
"Yes," her breath caught in her throat.
He sighed and kissed her.
"Be safe," he said softly then left.
Helen watched him leave.
Such the silent hero, it was one of her favorite qualities of his.
She moved back to Edward and checked his temperature again, taking a cloth from a small basin and dabbing his face with the cool water.
How could things escalate so quickly; just an hour ago she and Nikola were in her quarters, settling a wager, acting as if they had all night, heck, all week to do so, then suddenly they hit one iceberg and everything starts literally falling apart around them.
Maybe she should've been more careful, maybe she should've paid more attention to Edward, if she hadn't been so distracted maybe she could've stopped him before things got out of hand.
It wasn't like she planned any of this, how was she supposed to predict this vessel's eminent failure. That was the designer's job; that was why he attended the voyage.
She sighed and picked up the basin, heading to the bathroom to poor the leftover water into the sink, though why she bothered, she could toss it on the floor, soon enough no one was going to notice. Then again, she wanted to remain as dry as possible until it was absolutely necessary.
She returned to the main room and went to the window.
If there was any time to pick up the habit of praying, this was it.
~~~~Elsewhere~~~~
Nikola maneuvered past the passengers, women, children, men, and Officers alike on the top deck, eagerly waiting to get into the lifeboat. He pushed past the sea of bodies to the Bridge, barging in.
"Why haven't we sent out the distress rockets!" he cried.
"Stand down officer!" said Murdoch, not paying any attention to him.
"We need to fire them or none of the rescue ships on their way will be able to see us!" growled Nikola.
"I suggest you get back to your post," said Murdoch, he had more critical things to deal with than a freaked out Officer.
Nikola snarled, he hated impertinence; ignorant fools, just like Edison.
Nikola stormed out of the bridge. Nice way be damned, it was time to take action.
He marched up to Officer Moody, the man in charge of firing off the rockets. He saw the case of distress rockets lying in wait; the man was just awaiting the signal, as he should.
Nikola casually walked up to him.
"Nice evening, huh?" said Nikola.
Moody looked up at him.
"Oh yah, the best," he muttered sarcastically. "Everything is going to go top side, and no one knows what to do."
"You look like you could use a smoke," chuckled Nikola.
"Oh wouldn't I, but I'm on duty," sighed Moody. "As you are."
Nikola grinned, he was still wearing the crewman's uniform.
"I wasn't offering, just observing," he chuckled.
Moody sighed again.
"When do you think they'll order the firing of these babies?" asked Nikola as he moved towards the box of rockets.
"Oh those, probably never, they are more concerned with getting everyone off the ship.
Nikola nodded, noting the case of matches peeking out the top Moody's jacket pocket.
"Makes you think of taking matters into your own hands, doesn't it," said Nikola carefully. He was calculating his next move.
"Oh, you have no idea, I knew coming on this ship those lifeboats were going to come back and bite us in the ass," sighed Moody.
Nikola chuckled.
"Well, I hope you don't get blamed for this," Nikola looked at Moody.
"Blamed for what? The lifeboats weren't my idea," Moody chuckled turning back to look across the ocean.
Nikola carefully picked up one of the rockets, cradling it in his hands.
"No, not that," Nikola chuckled dryly.
"What then?" asked Moody.
"This," Nikola cracked the man over the nose with his fist, stealing the matches from Moody, and running as fast as he could to the bow of the ship.
Moody held his bleeding nose.
"Hey, hey! STOP THAT MAN!" he cried to the fellow officers hanging around the top deck. "STOP HIM!"
A whistle blew and Nikola looked back seeing the fast approach of the other crewmen, his hat flying off as he did so. He had caught the attention of First Officer Murdoch.
Nikola grinned, slightly. Then turned to the rocket in his hands, this was going to hurt.
He stopped at the bow, the distinct point at the front of the ship.
He pulled out a match from its case and scraped it across the palm of his hand, wincing slightly then lighting the bottom of the rocket. He held the body in his hands as the wick burned up slowly.
"Hurry, hurry," he coaxed the wick to burn faster.
The footsteps of Moody and his men were getting closer and Nikola acted fast and climbed on to the railing, using his vampiric skills to keep himself balanced.
"GET THAT OFFICER!" cried Moody, behind the armada of crewmen.
Another whistle blew.
This was going to hurt in so many ways.
Nikola watched the flame burn up the last of wick, into the main center of the rocket and quickly he tossed it up into the air as it exploded in a burst of red sparks.
The force knocked Nikola off the railing on to the hard surface of the deck. The crew was on him in an instant grabbing his arms and holding him down.
Moody came up to him, glaring fiercely.
"You are in so much trouble for that," he warned.
Nikola grinned as the Officers pulled him up to his knees.
"Just taking the initiative," Nikola shrugged.
"You'll be lucky if you don't get court martialed," Moody straightened up and saluted as First Officer Murdoch came up.
"What happened?" he asked authoritatively. "You?"
He glared at Nikola.
"You're not an officer!" growled Murdoch.
"No, and I'm not a disaster expert either, but even I know that if we want to be rescued we need to start firing these rockets before it's too late, I got tired of being ignored," growled Nikola.
"You were with that doctor looking for the Captain," Murdoch was eyeing him.
"Yah, thanks for your help by the way, it was very nice," Nikola muttered sardonically.
"Take him to the brig, I'll deal with him later," growled Murdoch. "Officer Moody, I put him in your careful hands."
Moody grinned.
"Thank you, sir," he gestured to the officers holding Nikola.
"I don't think you realize, First Officer, that most of the people on this vessel are going to die tonight! All I'm trying to do is lower the number," shouted Nikola.
Moody and his men dragged Nikola away, Nikola let them, he had to pick his battles and even though he could toss them off easily, it would serve to do nothing, except maybe get him shot and then thrown of the edge, which wouldn't be too pleasant. Helen would do something eventually…hopefully.
Murdoch turned to another officer.
"Prepare your men, I want the rockets shot off one every fifteen minutes," he ordered and the man nodded.
"Yes sir," he hurried off.
Murdoch sighed watching the last remains of the rocket dissipate.
He couldn't argue with Nikola's logic.
~~~~Captain's Quarters, 12:45~~~~
Helen heard the explosion and watched the red sparks burst and fade. She smirked and shook her head.
"Nikola," she muttered to herself.
"Uh…H-Helen," Edward stirred.
"Edward," she went over to him.
"Where am I?" he groaned.
"Captain's quarters," she sat on the edge of the bed, checking his temperature and feeling his forehead. "How do you feel?"
"What happened?" he looked at her.
"You overdosed on your medication, throwing you into hypertensive state resulting in a pretty angry transformation," she said calmly.
"Did I hurt anybody?" he groaned painfully.
"Don't know for sure, but I assume you devoured most of the engine crew, the place was desolate when we arrived," she pulled out her medical kit.
"Oh god, Helen, how could I?" he squeezed his eyes shut.
"It's ok, it's not your fault," she patted his arm comfortingly. "But it's the least of our worries, we've hit an iceberg and the vessel's taken on too much water, she's sinking, Edward."
He sprung up.
"I have to help," he cried.
"Wait Edward!" she sighed.
"Ow! Oh ow!" he winced, holding his side.
"Your not exactly in pique condition," she sighed, checking to make sure he hadn't ripped the sutures out.
"This is the Hawke incident all over again," he growled.
"That was completely different, Edward, they determined it was Olympic's massive suction that caused the collision," she sighed as his wounds were fine.
"No matter, I am the Captain of this ship, I need to be out there," he gingerly got up to his feet, stumbling slightly. "Help me dress, Helen, dear."
Helen realized arguing would fall on deaf ears.
She went to the armoir and pulled out his captain's uniform. He put on the pants hastily and threw on the shirt as Helen helped with the jacket.
He was more or less respectable looking, putting his hat over his sweat slicked hair.
"Helen, dear, I need your help walking," he grunted slightly and Helen nodded.
"Of course," she looped his arm across her shoulders, using her own body to support half his weight.
"Just until I find my sea legs," he groaned.
Helen nodded and the two of them stepped out of the cabin and made their way to the top deck.
The rocket had sent more people into a flurry and more people made their way to the deck.
"Women and children first!" shouted the officers.
Helen could barely hear herself think over all the panic.
"My god," muttered Edward.
"It's only going to get worse," sighed Helen.
"Take me to the bridge, I want to get a handle on this situation," he said authoritatively and Helen nodded.
They reached just outside the bridge.
"Ok, I think I can go on by myself now," he stood up to his full height, opening the door to the bridge.
"First Officer Murdoch," he said sternly.
"Captain!" the man saluted.
"Bring me up to speed and make it fast," said Edward.
"Yes sir," his eyes fell on Helen.
"You!" he accused.
"Me?" Helen's eyes widened.
"You were with that man not to long ago, he nearly damn killed himself, as well as injuring one of my officers in the process," growled Murdoch.
"Stand down officer, what man?" asked Edward.
"He was dressed as an officer, but he's a passenger, the two of them came in here looking for you shortly after we hit the berg," said Murdoch.
"Nikola," Helen sighed.
"Your friend?" asked Edward. "What did he do?"
"He stole one of the rockets and lit it up over the bow not too long ago. Sixth Officer Moody is with him now in the brig," said Murdoch.
"Why'd he light up one of the rockets?" Edward turned to Helen.
"To warn the other ships that we are in danger and need rescuing, he stole the uniform so that people would think he was an officer and so he could be of help, he's trying to save people," growled Helen.
"That's what he said," sighed Murdoch.
"Then why did you lock him up?" asked Helen, crossing her arms.
"Because he assaulted one of my officers in the process, nearly broke the man's nose," sighed Murdoch.
"He's been acting on my orders!" barked Smith. "I was detained, I ordered him to go to any means necessary to do what had to be done! I order you release him!"
Murdoch nodded.
"Yes sir," he said.
"You man the helm, First Officer, I'll order his release myself," said Smith and he marched out of the bridge then turned to Helen. "Your gentleman friend?"
Helen nodded.
"I'm sorry, he's abrasive, obnoxious and he causes trouble, but his intentions are good, I promise," she sighed.
"Alright, as long as you're sure he's not just causing trouble for naught," he sighed.
"He only does that with me," Helen rolled her eyes.
Edward chuckled and limped slightly as he walked.
Helen followed, as another distress rocket fired into the air.
