Empress of the North, Dirk and Al try to save Alaska's shores

[Owen Ruger]

This is a copy from earlier, have fun with it, all are welcome to add to it!

Captain Mitchell glanced at the sonar in disbelief as his face grew white with fear, “dear God, brace for impact!”

The Empress of the North, a paddlewheel cruise liner carrying 281 passengers and crew along the coastal waters of Alaska, strikes an underwater landmass that had previously not existed. Dirk Pitt and his trusted lifelong friend Al Giordino respond to the distress call and are the first to arrive. They soon find that there is more to the mystery landmass than meets the eye and uncover an underwater mining plot that threatens to disrupt the world oil markets and forever change the face of Alaska’s waterways.....

CC could have the vilian be a woman like in Deep Six and play off of the ship's name for a book title "Empress of the North: a Dirk Pitt Novel" love it!

[Riyukco]

Write the begining and I will jump in.

[tonym5]

Bianca Devane was pleased at the results of the side scan sonar confirming her suspicions of a new element that would prove to be of value in providing a new energy source for automobiles. Once she had the financing in place, Bianca went to work in removing the element and had to construct a shell over the underwater mining complex. Unfortunately, The Empress of the North ran a familiar trek over the Alaskan inlet that included the area where Bianca's mining operation was being conducted. Standing over six feet tall with short red hair and looking somewhat mannish, Bianca always had trouble attracting men and after nearly twenty years had given up and concentrated on gaining a fortune and power.

[tonym5]

The element was named after the scientist who had predicted it would be found within a hundred years of his passing, Hiram Horatio Cussler, was a brilliant scientist ahead of his time. The element would be found in the 1970s bit it's importance was not discovered until the early 21st Century as Cusslerite, the name of the element was discovered to be part of a new grouping of elements that would be known as the Serite group.

[Owen Ruger]

The morning Alaskan sun beat down on the white and mahogany wooden decks of a 1955 thirty three foot Chris-craft Futura. Acclaimed as the “Jaguar of the Cruisers,” its bow sliced through the cool blue-grey waters and tossed white foam from its hull, parting the water like a queen walking across a palace floor crowded with her loyal followers. Stretched along the Futura’s stern were the metallic gold and red letters that proudly proclaimed her as the “Patsy Ann,” named after a beloved white Bull Terrier who would greet incoming ships along Juneau’s wharfs in the 1930’s.


Perched above the lettering on teak and tan leather seats sat two hardened men. One, a stout muscular Italian wearing jean shorts and a simple t-shirt cast out his line and eased back as the bated hook disappeared beneath the waters. The other, a strong man with brilliant green eyes leaned back with his hands behind his head and gazed out over the horizon. They sat quietly taking in the scenery and reflecting on their past, a past that spanned as far back as grade school.

Feeling the urge to grab a cold beer, Dirk Pitt stood up and turned to friend Al Goirdino, “I’m going for a beer and to check on the skipper, you want one?”

“Does a fish live in the sea?” replied Al with a light hearted grin.

Dirk walked into the cabin area and greeted Rudi Gunn who was busy adjusting the marine radio to reduce the static from an incoming broadcast. “Hey Rudi, how’s the captain doing?”

“I can’t complain, these Chris-crafts practically steer themselves.” Gunn answered.

“She’s a nice boat, that’s for sure. I’m glad the mayor was willing to let us take her out for a little fishing.” Pitt said as he opened the cooler and pulled out a couple of beers, then heard Goirdino announce that he had a fish on the line.

Pitt exited the cabin and walked back to Goirdino who was fighting a large 40 pound salmon. As Rudi slowed the boat, a glisten of silver flashed below the surface before the salmon breached the water and fought back into the depths again. Goirdino placed his feet on the rear railing and pulled back with his bulging arms, an ear to ear grin forming across his face. The catch was only ten feet away from the stern when Rudi briskly walked up to Dirk, “Dirk, I just picked up a relay from the Coast Guard. They’re requesting help from any vessel close to a cruise liner that ran aground.”

Dirk nodded his head and entered the cabin to listen to transmission, “we’re only about twelve minutes away, radio back and inform them that we’re responding,” Dirk then leaned out of the cabin and yelled back to Goirdino who was still battling the large fish, “Al, reel it in or cut it lose, we’re moving out.”

“You’ve got to be joking; this is at least a 40 pound salmon.” Al protested as he pulled his knife.

“No joke pal, there’s a ship sinking a few minutes north of us”

“Murphy’s Law… well to days your lucky day my friend, may we meet again,” Goirdino said as he cut loose the line and moved into the cabin.

The twin 350 Crusader engines roared to life and pitched the bow upward as the Patsy Ann plowed her way to distressed ship.


This post has been edited by Owen Ruger on May 16 2007, 01:31 PM

[Riyukco]

I will leave the rescue scene to Chris or Tony. Considering I have no clue how 281 people are going to fit on a 33 foot boat I will leave the best for those more knowledgeable than me.