“All right,” he said. “Conditionally, I will so swear. The condition is I cannot stand by and allow any wrongdoing. If that is what you intend, you shall have to kill me, for I will do everything within my power to stop you.”
“I can accept that,” Lucas said. “The answer, as you must already have surmised, is yes. We are not of this time.”
Verne shut his eyes. “I knew it,” he said. “I did not believe it was possible, but it was the only explanation that
made any sort of sense. Both of you, and Miss Cross, as well-”
“Are from the 27th century,” said Lucas.
Verne gasped. “The 27th… but… that is over seven hundred years in the future!”
“That’s quite correct,” said Finn.
“Travel through time,” said Verne, awestruck. “I had thought about it from time to time-” he chuckled. “From time to time. Ironic choice of words, n’est-ce pas?” He stared at them both with wonder. “I had often thought of writing a story about it, but it seemed too incredible, too much of a fantasy for my sort of work. I always sought to strive for some believability and so I dismissed the notion. Yet.. there are a thousand things I wish to ask you and I do not know where to begin! Yes, yes, of course I do. The most obvious questions is, why are you here? It is something about this creature, is it not? This must be like some sort of archaeology for you-but no. You said thousands upon thousands of lives could depend upon it. Surely an aquatic mammal could not threaten-no, naturally not, if it is so important, then…”
The sound of the forecastle gun was heard and there was shouting up on deck. Andre burst into the cabin. “It’s Ned! He’s sighted it! They’ve opened fire and-” She saw Verne and brought herself up short.
“Get the ordnance!” Lucas said. “Move!”
“What is it? What’s-the creature!” Verne jumped to his feet as Finn and Andre both bolted out the door. Lucas put his palm up against Verne’s chest and shoved him hard. He fell back against the bulkhead. Lucas grabbed his equipment and moved toward the door.
“I’m sorry, Jules,” he said. “I can’t explain now and you’d just get in the way.”
He closed the door and locked it.
The torpedo struck amidships and the explosion rocked the Abraham Lincoln, blowing the steamer in two, obliterating men and metal alike as it shattered the ship’s spine, sending a great gout of flame and smoke leaping high into the air to illuminate the night sky. Finn reached the deck with Andre right behind him and the shock of the explosion flung him over the rail into the sea. He never felt it when he hit the water.
“Finn! Finn, come on, wake up! Snap out of it, I’m getting tired.”
“Andre?”
“Can you swim? Are you all right?”
Delaney began to tread water as Andre released him. He coughed as seawater sloshed into his mouth. “How long have I been out?”
“Don’t know,” said Andre. “Seemed like forever.” She gasped, gulping in air. “The ship went down. I dove in after you when you went over. I think some boats got away, but there was a lot of noise… boilers blew… I screamed myself hoarse, but no one heard me.”
“Lucas?”
“I don’t know,” she said.
“Damn.”
“We’re going to have to clock out, Finn. I can’t stay afloat much longer. Holding you exhausted me.”
Simon Hawke
The Nautilus Sanction
“You’re right,” he said. “There’s nothing else to do. We-”
“Ha-llooo!”
“Son of a bitch!” said Finn. “Someone’s out there!”
“Finn! Andre! Ha-llooo!”
“That’s Lucas! Here! Over here!”