Praise for Something’s Alive on the Titanic: *Library Journal “SOMETHING’S ALIVE ON THE TITANIC works both as a fresh adventure story and a speculative return to April 15, 1912. The narrative starts quickly. An object of incredible value is on the Titanic, and a small group on a top-secret mission goes after it. The plot is exciting, and Serling gives a fresh treatment to a common 1912 reaction to the disaster: the Titanic as a morality play.” —Arizona Daily Star “This is definitely two books in one: a well-researched, well-written, fact-based novel about the Titanic. And a really terrific ghost story. Serling has woven a great tale around the Titanic, probably second only to The Flying Dutchman when it comes to legendary ships.” —Sunday Oklahoman Praise for Previous Novels by Robert Serling: THE PRESIDENT’S PLANE IS MISSING “[Serling] knows how to stir up suspense at jet speed.” —UPI AIR FORCE ONE IS HAUNTED “Takes off like a rocket and cruises smoothly to an explosive, yet sobering climax ... Serling has spun another winner!” —Publishers Weekly LIFE SIGNS ... AT TWO MILES DEEP ... There was a man standing in the center of the room—only a silhouette at first, but becoming more distinct as Gillespie’s eyes adjusted to what his helmet light was illuminating. A man, very definitely. Wearing the bridge coat of the Royal Merchant Marine. A black officer’s cap, with the White Star insignia. Under the peaked cap was a face—square-jawed, stern, very British. Now it was Gillespie who gasped. On the right temple was a tiny black hole, jagged around the edges as if a bullet had penetrated there. Into the oceanographer’s numbed mind came the realization that he was looking at William Murdoch, Titanic’s first officer. Murdoch, who had been in charge of the bridge at 11:40 P.M., April 14, 1912. Murdoch, who had given the fateful command—“Hard astarboard”—the command that turned the ship into the hidden ice spur that ripped out her guts in thirty seconds. Murdoch, who, according to several eyewitnesses, had shot himself in the temple just before the giant liner sank. The figure was shaking its head. ... ALSO BY ROBERT SERLING FICTION THE LEFT SEAT THE PRESIDENT’S PLANE IS MISSING WINGS SHE’LL NEVER GET OFF THE GROUND STEWARDESS AIR FORCE ONE IS HAUNTED NONFICTION THE PROBABLE CAUSE THE ELECTRA STORY LOUD AND CLEAR CEILING UNLIMITED MAVERICK THE ONLY WAY TO FLY HOWARD HUGHES’ AIRLINE FROM THE CAPTAIN TO THE COLONEL EAGLE COUNTDOWN (with Frank Borman) SOMETHING’S ALIVE ON THE TITANIC ROBERT SERLING SMP ST. MARTIN’S PAPERBACKS NOTE: If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher, and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.” This novel is a work of fiction. All of the events, characters, names, and places depicted in this novel are entirely fictitious or are used fictitiously. No representation that any statement made in this novel is true or that any incident depicted in this novel actually occurred is intended or should be inferred by the reader. SOMETHING’S ALIVE ON THE TITANIC Copyright © 1990 by Robert Serling. Cover illustration by Neal McPheeters. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 90-37467 ISBN: 0-312-92999-4 Printed in the United States of America St. Martin’s Press hardcover edition/December 1990 St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition/September 1993 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Contents Contents Introduction Prologue Part One Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Part Two Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Epilogue Author’s Postscript About the Author I have never had the privilege of meeting this man of great integrity and sensitivity, but, nevertheless, this book is dedicated to: Dr. Robert D. Ballard, discoverer of the Titanic “In future, when I think of the Titanic, I will see her bow sitting on the bottom, dignified despite the decay and, finally, at rest.” —Dr. Robert D. Ballard “Do I believe in ghosts? No, but I’m afraid of them.” —Marquise du Deffand Introduction Her life was tragically brief; her death, immortal. On April 14, 1912, the Royal Mail Steamer R. M. S. Titanic, on the fourth night of her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York, struck an iceberg and sank two and a half hours later. She carried 1,320 passengers and 908 crew members. When she went down, her sixteen lifeboats left 826 passengers and 697 crew members behind to die. Not for nearly eight decades were human eyes to look upon the remains of what was once the world’s biggest, most palatial ocean liner—at the time “the largest moving object ever created by man,” her builders proudly proclaimed. In the 1980s, three separate expeditions finally located the Titanic, and much of the mystery and conjecture still surrounding her final moments of agony were at last explained. Possibly. For this is a story of what might have happened.