Wednesday April 10 1912,10:43 Southhampton

Helen stepped out of the car into the early spring sunlight and looked up at the huge steel structure in awe. The long, grey hull stood majestically in the harbour. Nine decks towered proudly over the other ships with four funnels reaching skyward, as though determined to harness all the elements of the planet. There was no question where this spectacle of grandure received its imposing hundred and eighty-two feet, nine inches in length and ninety-two feet in breadth, the behemoth almost blocked the sun.

"Incredible." Helen breathed

James nodded proudly. "Magnificent, isn't she? Forty-six thousand, three hundred and twenty-eight tonswith a cruising speed of twenty-two and a half knots. The Titanic can carry 2,603 passengers. Seven-course dining, your own suite, and working electricity. Curtesy of something Tesla designed, from my understanding. Come, let's get you settled," he said, lifting up one of her suitcases and attempting to grab two others.

"That isn't necessary, James," Helen protested, taking her bags from his hands.

"Nonsense, my dear. As it is, you travel far too light." He smiled and walked up to a nearby sailor holding a passenger manifest. "Pardon us, Old Boy, I have a first class passenger here. Helen Magnus." He smiled and held out the ticket.

Helen watched as long lines of people with carpetbags allowed a doctor to inspect their mouths and scalps. The sailor looked the pair over as Nigel caught up with another of Helen's bags.

The sailor looked at them and shook his head. "We're only loading third and second class. They need to go through inspection, you understand. If you can come back at 11:30, we'll be loading first class. We willl be happy to escort the lady personally to her quarters." He looked apologetically to Helen. "I'm terribly sorry, Miss."

Helen smiled graciously and shook the man's hand. "Not at all, sir. I can wait. How long will inspection take?"

"Oh, don't worry, Miss. Only third class is inspected. For the saftey of all. We don't need their vermin on board."

Helen pursed her lips. The doctor in her understood the pandemic an outbreak of parasites would mean on a confined ship,but the humanitarian in her rebelled at the treatment of people who didn't have bundles of money to throw around haplessly.

"James, Old Boy!" a voice called from behind. Helen turned to see three men striding along. James hurried forward to meet the middle man, a redhead.

"Wilson. How good to see you again!" James smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "Helen, Nigel, I told you about Jabez Wilson, did I not?"

"The red headed league. I belive you did. Quite the runaround you got on that case, eh?" Nigel laughed.

"Ah yes, fun times indeed." Wilson laughed in embarrassment. "This is Mr. Griffin you spoke of so many times? So that would make you Ms. Magnus?" he asked, enthusiastically shaking their hands.

Helen looked at the pair flanking Wilson. One was a tall, sturdy man with a round face and genuine smile. The other, thin and gangly with what Helen was sure he thought was an impressive mustache.
She held back a smile. Something about his stance reminded her of Nikola Tesla.

Wilson smiled and gestured to them. "May I introduce Meesirs Joseph Ismay and Thomas Andrews. Mr. Ismay owns all of White Star Line and gave us the financial resources for a luxerious ship beyond any other built today. And Mr. Andrews designed and built it. These are the men who willed Titanic into being. And here we have the final result! An unsinkable ship!"

"Practically unsinkable."

James smiled. "Pleasure. And allow me to introduce Nigel Griffin and Helen Magnus. School chums I've kept in contact with over the years. Helen will be sailing with you, first class."

Andrews smiled and kissed Helen's hand. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Magnus. We are glad to have you aboard."

"Dr. Magnus, if you please," Helen corrected automatically. Ismay laughed.

"Well, a lady doctor? What is the world coming to?"

Helen stiffened as her eyes turned hard as flint. "Mr Ismay. Is there any particular reason you think a woman cannot be a doctor? Is there any reason you assume a woman would not be up for the task? I will have you know right now I worked just as hard as any man to learn biology, anatomy, phisiology and kinsiology. I learned faster than some of the men, and I excell in my field. I learned at my father's side from the age of three and fought long and hard to get into the school of my choice. I had to endure snide coments from my classmates and teachers. I had to fight the ignorance and sterotypes of the administration every step of the way. And now, when I have not only acomplished the requirements set at the highst degree but excelled at them, you are going to come and presume you can question these credentials because of my sex?"

Nigel shifted uncomfortably. James cleared his throat.

"Mr. Ismay. Tell us more about your ship? " he said quickly, dispersing the tension.

"Oh, I can hardly take credit."Ismay smiled. "Mr. Andrews designed the entire ship from stern to bow and everything in between. History will remember Mr. Andrews as the man responsible for all this. He's the one who made all this happen."

Helen stopped listening and stared unseeingly at the great ship.. London, New York, the middle of the ocean-what did it matter? Surrounded by hundreds of people, Helen was alone. Shrouded in a cloud of misery she couldn't shake. Now she had seven days on a large luxery liner to keep her idle. It was the last thing she needed., but she had promised Watson.

So in true Magnus form, she plastered on a smile and endured it.

notes Jabez Wilson is from The Adventure of the Redheaded League, a famous Sherlock Holmes story.
Special thanks to DG and our Beta Vinnet for helping with the fight between Ismay and Magnus