Sedulity 2: Aftershock (Sedulity Saga)

by David Forsyth

  In the meantime, Reiner and several other members of the crew had done a headcount and taken down the names of everyone in the theater. There were one thousand two hundred and twenty-three passengers there, as well as eighty-three members of the crew. Thirty more people had been taken down to the ship’s medical center for treatment of various injuries and conditions. A dozen or so had suffered broken bones when the ship was tossed up and down by the tsunami waves, and others suffered cuts and lacerations. They would be treated and those with minor injuries might return to the theater soon. The ones who suffered strokes and heart attacks were more problematic. With the average age of the passengers on this cruise well into senior citizen range, the stress and terror of the asteroid strike had proven too much for some of them to handle. They were given first aid and CPR, then taken below on stretchers, but Lt. Reiner knew that triage protocols were in effect and doubted if many of the most serious cases would get the care they needed to survive. There were too few trained medical personnel to cope with all the casualties.

  Reiner felt sorry for the injured, just as he felt sorry for all the passengers gathered in the theater, and the crew as well, but after spending hours watching this catastrophe sweep around the world on TV, he had come to realize how lucky the survivors aboard the Sedulity really were. It was that message that he tried to convey to everyone who came to him about minor inconveniences and discomforts. Of course, those who had seen their home cities and countries washed away on television had much more reason to grieve and complain. He was intimately aware that many of the crew came from Indonesia and the Philippines, as well as other island nations that had already been hit by the monstrous tsunamis. He could only imagine their grief and despair, and was amazed that any of them continued to perform their duties at all. Perhaps they focused on their work to keep their minds off of the fate of loved ones at home.

  The lieutenant shook his head as he recalled an earlier incident that came closest to causing a true riot in the theater. A particularly difficult passenger, Mr. Hank Donner, had returned from assisting some of the injured carrying a waterproof case containing a satellite telephone. He had walked up to Lt. Reiner and handed it to him like a gift. Only the fact that the rest of the passengers didn’t know what the case contained had prevented a stampede. One working phone for over a thousand people, all of whom were desperate to contact someone, would have caused a riot. Some of the crew, however, had recognized the case for what it was and had approached him privately to ask if they could use it to contact their families ashore. He had impressed on them all the need for secrecy, then allowed them to take turns making brief calls from the card room on the mezzanine outside the balcony level of the theater. Some returned to the theater in tears and a few failed to return at all. Nevertheless, it was the least he could do to let them try to contact their loved ones.

  Reiner also had friends and family that he wanted to call, but he placed his duty first and remained in the theater. After all, his home was half a world away on the coast of the North Sea. He had no fear that Germany would be affected by this asteroid strike in the Pacific Ocean. No, Reiner was sure that his friends and family were safe from tsunamis and earthquakes, but he still wanted to call them and ease their fear for his own safety. However, there would be plenty of time for that after the situation aboard the Sedulity returned to some semblance of normalcy. He had no idea how long that would take. For the moment he, and most of those with him in the theater, sat transfixed by the horrific news on television.

  *****

  “This is GNN bringing you live coverage of unprecedented disasters striking the Pacific Rim in the wake of today’s unexpected asteroid impact. Those of you watching from anywhere near the coast of the Pacific Ocean should tune into local broadcasts for updated news on tsunami warnings and evacuation plans. The Emergency Broadcast System has been activated along the entire West Coast of the United States and mandatory evacuations have been ordered for all coastal cities and towns. This includes the earthquake ravaged regions of California, as well as the states of Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. Canada and Mexico have also issued coastal evacuation orders, as have the nations of Central America.

  “As those who have been watching are aware, in the past half hour we witnessed giant tsunami waves hit the Panama Canal with disastrous results. We are receiving additional reports of tsunami strikes along the coasts of Costa Rica and Nicaragua now, but have no live television coverage of those events. Based on what has been seen elsewhere, we must assume catastrophic damage. We can also predict that these waves will continue to move north, striking the Pacific coasts of Honduras, El Salvador, and Mexico before reaching the West Coast of the United States in the next few hours. If you are anywhere within ten miles of the Pacific Ocean it is imperative that you evacuate inland and seek high ground immediately.

  “As we saw in Panama, where portions of the wave swept across the whole isthmus to spill into the Caribbean, these waves can grow even bigger as they approach land and can travel much farther than ten miles inland, especially along rivers, canals, and low-lying terrain. Therefore, experts recommend reaching an elevation of several thousand feet above sea level, or continuing inland as far as possible before the waves arrive. Avoid low lying rivers and valleys leading towards the ocean, as these can channel the force of a tsunami and drive it much further inland.”

  The televised picture shifted from a replay of the destruction in Panama to a view of the Griffith Observatory in the Hollywood Hills. The familiar face of GNN anchor Fox Rusher was front and center, with clouds of smoke drifting past the observatory in the background and throngs of people mingling around the building. Fox was wearing his usual dark suit and trademarked straight face, although both looked a bit frayed. The Washington anchor handed off to him by saying, “And now we turn to live coverage from the scene of disaster in California.”

  “This is Fox Rusher reporting live from the Griffith Observatory, on a large hill above the earthquake devastated City of Angels. From here we can see across the entire Los Angeles Basin and all the way to the Pacific Ocean, at least where the view is not obstructed by smoke from thousands of fires that have sprung up since the region was struck by a major earthquake earlier today. As the camera pans past the observatory and out of over the city you will notice that a large crowd is gathering here at the top of Griffith Park. Most of these people had to hike up this mountain, others arrived on bicycles and motorcycles, a few even got here on horseback, because virtually every road in the city is impassable for normal vehicles. These people came up here seeking the safety of high ground in anticipation of massive tsunamis that are expected to arrive later today. All of these people survived the earthquake, but soon realized there was no possibility of getting out of the city before the next disaster strikes. Their only alternative was to head for the hills. As you can see, the road and hiking trails leading up into Griffith Park are packed with more people, all making their way up towards the perceived safety of the observatory.”

  “We can see that, Fox,” commented the anchorman in the New York studio. “But are you sure that hill will be high enough to ride out the tsunamis?”

  “I sure hope so,” Fox chuckled dryly. “I’m told that the elevation of the Griffith Observatory here atop Mount Hollywood is more than eleven hundred feet above sea level. As I mentioned, we’re also more than ten miles from the coast. I can’t imagine any tsunami threatening this location. However, there are growing concerns about the threat of wildfires.” His expression faltered before the camera panned away to show a wider view of the city below. “The earthquake has ruptured gas pipes and toppled power lines all over the region, sparking countless fires. Some of them are merging and moving towards the Hollywood Hills. Emergency services are paralyzed and water pressure is virtually nonexistent due to all the broken water mains. We’ve been told that the Mayor of LA has instructed city and country firefighting helicopters to focus on protecting the higher elevations, such as Griffith Park, but we ha
ven’t seen any sign of them yet.”

  “That sounds quite serious, Fox,” came the response from New York.

  “Oh, it is,” Fox confirmed. “But honestly, everything about this situation is serious. Asteroids, tidal waves and earthquakes? They make wildfires seem almost tame by comparison. I think all of us are having a hard time grasping the enormity of what we are facing here. The devastation from the earthquake earlier today is beyond anything I have ever witnessed. It has crippled Southern California at the worst possible time. The entire population, more than ten million people, were preparing for an orderly evacuation ahead of the approaching tsunamis. That all changed when the earthquake struck. Now the city is paralyzed. We have some footage that our helicopter took a few minutes ago that might help put the crisis into perspective.”

  The studio switched to recorded video from a helicopter flying low over downtown Los Angeles. The most obvious things that jumped off the screen were the burning and collapsed buildings, then the camera zoomed in to pan down individual streets. They were all clogged with abandoned vehicles. What really grabbed the viewers’ attention, however, was the endless stream of people swarming around the crippled traffic on the streets. They were all headed inland, away from the ocean and the threat of killer waves approaching the California coast. The massive crowd could easily be mistaken for a swarm of ants whose colony had been turned over by a shovel. Some people clutched or carried small children. Others held whatever precious belongings they could carry. In places it looked like violent clashes were breaking out and some people were moving in and out of the broken windows of businesses, clearly looting the merchandise. When the camera panned east it was obvious that all of these people were still miles away from the safety of high ground.

  Fox Rusher added a horrifying narrative to the footage. “With nearly all of the roads blocked and highways destroyed by the earthquake, millions of people are heading inland on foot. There is no organized evacuation. Emergency services are overwhelmed. Whatever orderly evacuation plans the government intended to enact have failed. It’s pure chaos down there. Looting, violence, and other forms of lawlessness are rampant. This would already qualify as the most horrific natural disaster in the history of our nation, but we have been told that worse is yet to come.” Fox paused, choking on his words as the video feed from the helicopter continued to display images straight out of biblical Armageddon.

  “Most of the people down in the city, everyone not in shock and still able to move, are all heading for the hills. I have no idea how far inland the waves will reach, but I fear that many of those unfortunate people will not escape. We can also see that some people have chosen to exploit the crisis by looting and committing acts of violence. If it’s any consolation, I’m fairly certain that they are sealing their own fate. Those who stop to loot, rob, or rape and murder others will not make it out alive.” Fox’s voice took on a hard edge when he made that prediction.

  “Fox,” the Washington anchor interjected, “is there no hope of rescue or escape for those who can’t reach high ground?”

  “Some people have decided to evacuate vertically,” Fox said. “Most of the high rise structures in the LA Basin withstood the earthquake and remain standing, although all of them show signs of damage. Quite a few people are trying to reach the upper floors and rooftops of those buildings. Of course the power is out across the entire region, so they are faced with a long climb upstairs. Nevertheless, some experts have endorsed the option of vertical evacuation for those who don’t have time to reach actual high ground before the tsunamis arrive.”

  “That sounds like a viable option,” the New York anchor said hopefully.

  “Perhaps,” Fox replied. “I wonder how high the waves will be and how much structural damage those buildings suffered in the earthquake. Some of them might be ready to topple even without being hit by a tsunami. On the other hand, one hopeful sign is the arrival of military helicopters. Over the past few hours we have seen dozens of them arrive over the city. They are setting down on helipads atop those tall buildings to pick people up, fly them to high ground, and then return to collect more. It’s a valiant effort, but I’m afraid they won’t be able to rescue more than a few thousand of the millions trapped in this city.”

  “Are the helicopters picking people up anywhere else? Or just from the rooftops?”

  “Only the rooftops now,” Fox said evenly. “At first they tried landing in parking lots and open fields, but that turned out badly. Hundreds of people rushed helicopters that could only carry a dozen or so. A couple of Blackhawks crashed when the pilots tried to take off while being mobbed by desperate evacuees. In several cases the helicopter crews opened fire on the crowds in self-defense. After that the military decided to only land on rooftop helipads where they can control the size of the crowds better.”

  “That’s horrible!” the Washington anchor chimed in. “I suppose their plan makes sense, in a way, but I doubt that many of the injured or infirm residents of the city will be able to make it onto those rooftops. Will they?”

  “No, they won’t,” Fox confirmed. “This is triage on a massive scale. I’m afraid it comes down to survival of the fittest, smartest, and luckiest. At this point, if the tsunamis are as big as we’ve been told, I’m afraid that only a small fraction of the people in this city will survive. Residents of inland suburbs and those close to the Santa Monica Mountains have a better chance of reaching high ground. The rest? God help them, because there isn’t much else that can save them now.”

  *****

  Hank Donner sat in the ship’s theater nursing a flask of Jack Daniels and watching the horrific news unfold on the big projection screen. It was hard to grasp the enormity of the disaster engulfing the world, harder still to believe that the ship had survived a near miss by an asteroid impact that could unleash that scale of destruction. Hank had been inside the theater when the blast wave and tsunami struck the Sedulity. He had felt but not seen the awesome power of the impact. Witnessing the tsunami destroy Hawaii and then Panama on TV had been more than shocking. The big Texan had felt faint when he realized that the ship he was aboard had actually ridden up and over the same monster waves that were now obliterating cities and tossing less fortunate vessels around like toys. He offered a silent prayer of thanks as he took another swig of whiskey and contemplated the catastrophe unfolding around the world.

  The reports coming out of Los Angeles were almost worse than seeing tsunamis wipe out entire cities. Mercifully, the waves engulfed their victims swiftly, hiding most of the pain and suffering within their raging waters. Seeing panic sweep across a major American city, already paralyzed by an earthquake and waiting helplessly for the other shoe to drop, was enough to shock even the likes of Hank Donner. He hadn’t bargained on any of this when he booked passage aboard the Sedulity to Australia. This voyage was supposed to be a rewarding mix of business and pleasure. The asteroid strike came as a rude surprise. During the initial crisis Hank had been more outraged than awestruck, more offended than afraid, and more selfish than compassionate towards the plight of his fellow passengers, let alone the rest of the world. His attitudes were now tempered by a dawning appreciation for the true magnitude of the catastrophic events unfolding aboard the ship and across the planet. Hank now realized that most of the things he had taken for granted only yesterday no longer applied.

  Already Hank had detected a noticeable change in attitude among the crew towards the ship’s passengers. Most of them still appeared committed to preserving the safety of the ship and all aboard her, but they were no longer as eager to serve the passengers and satisfy their every whim. Hank had first noticed the trend when a waiter refused to fetch a cocktail. When Hank complained to the officer in charge the man implied that Hank better get used to it and start pulling his own weight. Upon reflection, it made sense. The passengers couldn’t expect to continue being pampered by the crew in the wake of a global disaster, especially one in which many of the crew had probably lost their home
s and loved ones as well. Hank found that idea disturbing, especially when he expanded the concept to include social interactions in other parts of the world.

  Although Hank scoffed at most social niceties and was often considered to be rude, even offensive by some standards, as a gambler and oilman he knew the value of money and general societal norms. Playing by the rules was important, but he feared the rules had changed. Sitting in the ship’s theater, witnessing much of the world as he knew it get washed away, Hank found himself wondering how much of the civilized standards they all took for granted would survive the coming hours, days, and weeks.

  Chapter 2

  The wave approached Central America from the southwest at more than 300 miles per hour, slowing and growing taller when it reached the continental shelf. The twenty mile wide Gulf of Fonseca was shared by Nicaragua to the south, Honduras to the East, and El Salvador on the northern shore. It was also home to two of the largest volcanoes on the Pacific coast of Central America, making it a popular destination for eco-tourists, earth scientists, and geology students. One such group had just completed an arduous hike to the caldera crater atop the Cosiguina Volcano on the northwest tip of Nicaragua at the mouth of the gulf. They had been out of contact with the outside world for several days and were unaware of the asteroid impact, or the approaching danger. However, a few hours earlier they had felt a strong earthquake that shook the rainforest covering the mountainside, driving the local howler monkeys into hysterics.