“Far from it. Take all the time you need, as long as we can move tomorrow morning.”

Martin nodded, and disappeared back the way he had come.

“So,” Jake said looking around, “I don’t suppose any of you chaps have seen Tania Bloom around have you?”

Three heads shook in unison.

Twenty-Two

MAX SLIPPED BACK down the corridor. He’d followed the men without being seen, heard their demand at the door to the bridge. He knew he shouldn’t have listened to Jake, should have kept the rifle handy. He wondered if he could pull the same trick as earlier and use the bridge fire escape to go and get it back. The trouble was that pesky Russian girl was in there. She went all doe eyed every time the captain was around, probably wouldn’t stand for him using a gun when lover boy had asked him not to. No, the captain wanted things sorted out by peaceful means, so the captain could sort them out himself. He just had to find him.

• • • • •

“He was here, but that was a while ago, I haven’t seen him since.”

“Okay, thanks Martin.”

Lucya sank into her chair. She’d called everyone she could think of, and every time she’d either just missed him, or he hadn’t been there at all.

Three bangs at the door.

“We’re still here. If you’ve been lying to us and the captain is in there, there’s going to be trouble.”

“I am trying to locate the captain!” Lucya was losing patience with these people. “If you are not happy about that they perhaps you should return to your cabins and have a lie down!”

• • • • •

Max called on various areas of the ship and was met with the same responses Lucya had encountered.

“You missed him.”

“Haven’t seen him.”

“Wouldn’t know what he looked like if I did see him!”

He decided all he could do was wait until twenty two hundred hours when everyone was due to reconvene on the bridge. If he waited further up the corridor he had a chance of intercepting Jake before he got there, and could at least warn him there may be trouble ahead. In the meantime, he fancied a cigarette. Now the power was back on he couldn’t risk smoking inside, the detectors would probably start blaring out their horrible high pitched squark. He pushed open a door and stepped out onto the deck thirteen stern terrace.

“Well now isn’t that just grand,” he said. “I spend half an hour looking all over for you, and here you are taking it easy outside.”

“Hey Max. what’s up? I was taking five minutes quiet time before going down to the bridge.”

“Right. About that. You’re not going to get much quiet time on the bridge, there’s a hoard of angry passengers waiting for you.”

“What? Who let them in?”

“No no, not on the bridge. But they’re in the coridoor waiting to ambush you when you arrive. I followed them up from a little meeting they held in the cinema. I can’t be sure, but I’d say mutiny is on the cards.

Jake laughed. Max didn’t look impressed.

“Mutiny? Really? Have you been watching too many films Max?”

“This isn’t a laughing matter. We knew this was a possibility, and now it’s happening.”

“Well then we’d better go and see what they want,” Jake said, and strode off towards the door.

Twenty-Three

“GENTLEMAN,” JAKE SAID as he approached the group camped out in front of the bridge entrance. “Oh, and lady, excuse me.”

There were twelve of them in all, eleven men and a woman. All were in their late twenties or early thirties. Only one was standing, and he appeared to be the ringleader because the others all looked to him for a response when Jake spoke.

“I am Melvin Sherwood, and I am the representative for the unrepresented, the voice of the unheard, spokesperson for the silent majority.”

“I think that means he’s in charge of this rabble,” Max said loudly.

“A pleasure to meet you Mr Sherwood. I’m Jake Noah, captain of the ship.” Jake offered a hand, but it was ignored.

“What happened to Captain Ibsen?”

“Shall we discuss this inside?” he indicated the door.

“Jake, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Max said. “Shall I disperse this crowd so we can get on with business?”

“Nonsense. Sorry, Mr Sherwood, this is Max Mooting, he’s head of security.”

Max raised his eyes to the ceiling. So much for keeping a discreet eye on goings on. Sherwood didn’t quite know what to say, the wind had been taken out of his sails. He’d come expecting confrontation, prepared for a fight, and was met with a young captain being very reasonable. But it was early days, he thought. The captain hadn’t heard their demands yet.

“Lucya, could you open the door please,” Jake called.

There was a clunk, the noise of sliding metal, the click of a lock, and the door swung open.

“Please, let’s go inside.”

The group scrambled to their feet and rushed onto the bridge. Sherwood joined them, followed by Jake and Max, who closed the door behind them, but left it unbolted.

“I’m afraid we don’t have seating for everyone,” Jake said looking around at the sparsely furnished control room. “We’re not used to having such large groups up here. So, if you don’t mind standing? Now, how can I help, what’s this all about?”

Once again the assembled passengers looked to Melvin as their spokesperson. He glanced around at the expectant group, and began his barely rehearsed pitch.

“In the last twelve hours this ship has not moved. We have been told that food and water are to be rationed with immediate effect. We have spent most of the day without power or light, and no effort has been made to inform us why.”

“That’s not true!” Lucya interjected.

Jake held up a hand. “Lucya, please, let him continue.”

“We all saw the television report of the asteroid, we all have friends and families back home. We need to go back, to see what has happened to them. We cannot sit here and wait to die. Passengers outnumber staff by two to one, yet these decisions have been made without the involvement of any passengers. The minority are deciding for the majority. This cannot continue. We are here to take over control of the ship. I will assume the role of captain, and your staff will answer to me.”

“I see,” Jake said. “You understand, of course, that our priority since the asteroid passed over has been to save lives by making the ship safe, and by preserving our resources? You are quite right, passengers views should be taken into consideration going forward,” Jake winced as he heard himself use the phrase, he had always hated management speak. “Am I to assume you have been elected to the position of spokesperson by a majority of passengers?”

“You’re not listening to me Mr Noah. This isn’t about taking our views into consideration. This is about redistributing authority. We’re taking over. You’re done here. This ship is going home.”

Max took a step towards Sherwood, but Jake glared at him to back off.

“Mr Sherwood, this ship is the property of Pelagios Line until evidence says otherwise. Myself and my crew are employees of Pelagios Line, and are responsible for the safety of the Spirit of Arcadia and her passengers, our customers. Who knows, perhaps the world has ended and there is no more Pelagios Line, or shareholders, or indeed anyone else, but until someone can prove that to me, nothing has changed. I’m willing to listen to the views of passengers through a properly elected spokesperson, which it seems, as you ignored my question, you are not. Now if that is all, I have a lot to discuss with my crew, so if you’d like to return to the public areas of the ship?”