The Crossing
Title: The Crossing
23/41
Author: BmblBee
Paring: S/X
Rating: NC17
Disclaimer: The Bee owns none of the characters or products named and
makes no money off anything. Sad state of affairs.
Warnings: Bad language, strong sexual content between M/M.
Second warning: Although I did do a lot of research, this story is not intended to
be an exact historical account so please don't scream and pounce on a detail or
two that may not be entirely accurate.
Credit: The snippets at the tops of the pages are from a web site entitled "Titanic,
A Time Line of Events". Earl Chapman on the Titanic Discussion List originally
published this chronology of events. Chapman modified it slightly in 1997. The
1997 version formed the basis of this timeline.
Summary: AU. It is the spring of 1912 and Xander Harris, who has been living
with relatives in Ireland, is heading home. As a gift of love, he was booked
passage on the maiden voyage of the Titanic with the promise that it will be the
adventure of a lifetime.
Author's note: This story is NOT a retelling of any of the Titanic movies.
It is the tale of one man and one vampire forgotten by history and the destiny they
both find on this doomed crossing.
Spelling checked by the gracious Silk_Labyrinth
As always, thanks to Petxnd for the wonderful banners and the valued friendship.
The Captain's quarters were elegant and richly appointed. Consisting of
three separate rooms, they rivaled, if not surpassed, any of the luxury suites
in the first class section of the ship.
He had his sleeping quarters which, unlike most ship's sleepers, contained
a full sized bed with a soft mattress and duck down pillows. It had its own
private bath with running hot water supplied by the boilers and a flush toilet.
His adjoining study contained a cabinet of bound books, a plush leather chair
and a huge oversized desk where he sat with his maps and compasses and sailor's
navigational tools. Although he had very competent officers who handled all of the
day to day matters of guiding the magnificent ship toward port, he also liked to
keep his hand in and be aware of all the particulars of the voyage.
Everything in the room was done in dark woods, polished like glass and accented
with the warm glow of new, unmarred brass and steel. It was a man's room.
Even more than the smoking or card rooms this space was male punctuated with
power and control.
The third room was a meeting room. It was large, open, and functional. Although it
contained the matching wall sconce lights that adorned his other rooms, this space left
no doubt that it was all business. Its only furnishings were a huge long table surrounded
by severe wooden chairs. It was where the Captain held meetings that were for
designated ears only.
It was where, this morning, he had summoned all of his top officers.
"I want you gentlemen to understand that it is critically important that there
be no written record of any of this......unfortunate situation."
The first mate jumped to his feet, his face flushed with anger. He had hoped that
when the Captain called this meeting, they would be given real answers
to this horrifying dilemma.
"Captain, what you refer to as an unfortunate situation is murder. Mass
murder. There is a fiend loose on board the ship and the passengers are
disappearing and the crew dying. I insist that we radio for........"
Captain Smith slammed his fist down on the table causing an echo that bounced
from the walls and sealed the lips of any other officer that considered adding their
two cents.
"NO! I'm still the Captain of this ship and I will make the decisions! There
will be no contact with onshore authorities until I personally authorize it and that
won't be done until we do our own investigating. Besides, what do we know?
A few young girls in third have been reported missing. Ridiculous. They have
no doubt met men and are committing acts of carnal knowledge while their
friends and families fret. Pish-tosh. They will surface before we dock. Women
of that status in life are notorious for low morals and weak minds. We can't get
involved in such nonsense. As for Mr. Diamond, the purser, no determination can
be made as to the cause of death until a doctor examines the body and issues his
findings."
The other ship's officers in the room looked back and forth between themselves.
They knew the bottom line was money. If there was even a whisper of this sort
of danger on the Titanic, her subsequent sailings could financially suffer and, in
turn, their jobs and reputations would go right down the drain. Most grudgingly
came to the conclusion that the Captain was right.
There was no reason to jump the gun. The ship would dock in just a few days
and they would be on solid ground where the police and the people who were
knowledgeable about this sort of thing could handle it. The Captain watched
their faces, heard their silence and could nearly pin-point by their expressions
the exact moment that he knew he had won. No one here would say a thing.
"Furthermore, gentlemen, I suggest you meet with all of the crew members in your
sector and advise them as to the situation without going into every detail. I want
security measures tightened and the critical issue is, as always, the safety of all
passengers, especially the women and children on board. You will impress upon
them that it is vital to keep this knowledge under their hats. You will then return
to your posts and remember, keep an eye out for anyone matching the description
of the suspicious party. It is our charged duty to make sure everyone is safe here
on the Titanic, especially the first class passengers. Remember: discretion, Gentlemen.
Always be discrete."
Reading a dismissal in the Captain's turned back, the officers and crew members placed
their uniform caps back on their heads, rose from the table and silently filed from the room.
All but one.
Second Officer Lightoller held back, still hoping to convey his feelings of concern
about the floating ice in the waters and the speed of the ship that Captain Smith still
maintained.
Despite their differences in age and, more importantly, in rank, the two men had
sailed together previously on other ships in the White Star Line and had developed
a polite friendship and mutual respect.
"Edward, a moment please?"
The Captain stood, his spine ramrod straight and his hands clasped behind his back.
When his friend spoke, he knew they were alone. He never would have breached
protocol by using the Captain's given name in the presence of the others. It was
safe to turn around and allow the stress, exhaustion and concerns that lined his
face to be seen. When he had spoken earlier, his voice was firm and unwavering,
now it sounded tired and unsure.
"Yes, what is it."
Sir, I know you are under extreme pressure to bring the ship in ahead of schedule
but I fear things may be getting perilous. There is increased floating ice in the
water and the forecast is for dropping temperatures and no wind for the next two
nights. Now, I too am shocked by the death of steward Diamond and concerned
about the missing girls in third, but, Sir, I believe our priority as far as the
crew should be....."
"I am well aware of what our priorities should be Mr. Lightoller."
"Of course, Sir, I never meant to....."
"No, no, it is I who must apologize. I know you only have the concerns of the
ship and her passengers in mind. This is my final voyage, Mr. Lightoller. My
last and the Titanic's first and I want people to remember us both. Trust me
to do my job, and I will trust you to do yours."
Second Officer Lightoller nodded and smiled. He saluted the Captain, turned
on his heel and left, returning to his post and his duties. The Captain paused for
a moment, alone in the large meeting room and giving himself a minute of solitude
before he returned to his bedroom.
He selected his most decorated uniform jacket and he dressed as he prepared
to join the passengers in the first class dining hall.
23/41
Author: BmblBee
Paring: S/X
Rating: NC17
Disclaimer: The Bee owns none of the characters or products named and
makes no money off anything. Sad state of affairs.
Warnings: Bad language, strong sexual content between M/M.
Second warning: Although I did do a lot of research, this story is not intended to
be an exact historical account so please don't scream and pounce on a detail or
two that may not be entirely accurate.
Credit: The snippets at the tops of the pages are from a web site entitled "Titanic,
A Time Line of Events". Earl Chapman on the Titanic Discussion List originally
published this chronology of events. Chapman modified it slightly in 1997. The
1997 version formed the basis of this timeline.
Summary: AU. It is the spring of 1912 and Xander Harris, who has been living
with relatives in Ireland, is heading home. As a gift of love, he was booked
passage on the maiden voyage of the Titanic with the promise that it will be the
adventure of a lifetime.
Author's note: This story is NOT a retelling of any of the Titanic movies.
It is the tale of one man and one vampire forgotten by history and the destiny they
both find on this doomed crossing.
Spelling checked by the gracious Silk_Labyrinth
As always, thanks to Petxnd for the wonderful banners and the valued friendship.
The Captain's quarters were elegant and richly appointed. Consisting of
three separate rooms, they rivaled, if not surpassed, any of the luxury suites
in the first class section of the ship.
He had his sleeping quarters which, unlike most ship's sleepers, contained
a full sized bed with a soft mattress and duck down pillows. It had its own
private bath with running hot water supplied by the boilers and a flush toilet.
His adjoining study contained a cabinet of bound books, a plush leather chair
and a huge oversized desk where he sat with his maps and compasses and sailor's
navigational tools. Although he had very competent officers who handled all of the
day to day matters of guiding the magnificent ship toward port, he also liked to
keep his hand in and be aware of all the particulars of the voyage.
Everything in the room was done in dark woods, polished like glass and accented
with the warm glow of new, unmarred brass and steel. It was a man's room.
Even more than the smoking or card rooms this space was male punctuated with
power and control.
The third room was a meeting room. It was large, open, and functional. Although it
contained the matching wall sconce lights that adorned his other rooms, this space left
no doubt that it was all business. Its only furnishings were a huge long table surrounded
by severe wooden chairs. It was where the Captain held meetings that were for
designated ears only.
It was where, this morning, he had summoned all of his top officers.
"I want you gentlemen to understand that it is critically important that there
be no written record of any of this......unfortunate situation."
The first mate jumped to his feet, his face flushed with anger. He had hoped that
when the Captain called this meeting, they would be given real answers
to this horrifying dilemma.
"Captain, what you refer to as an unfortunate situation is murder. Mass
murder. There is a fiend loose on board the ship and the passengers are
disappearing and the crew dying. I insist that we radio for........"
Captain Smith slammed his fist down on the table causing an echo that bounced
from the walls and sealed the lips of any other officer that considered adding their
two cents.
"NO! I'm still the Captain of this ship and I will make the decisions! There
will be no contact with onshore authorities until I personally authorize it and that
won't be done until we do our own investigating. Besides, what do we know?
A few young girls in third have been reported missing. Ridiculous. They have
no doubt met men and are committing acts of carnal knowledge while their
friends and families fret. Pish-tosh. They will surface before we dock. Women
of that status in life are notorious for low morals and weak minds. We can't get
involved in such nonsense. As for Mr. Diamond, the purser, no determination can
be made as to the cause of death until a doctor examines the body and issues his
findings."
The other ship's officers in the room looked back and forth between themselves.
They knew the bottom line was money. If there was even a whisper of this sort
of danger on the Titanic, her subsequent sailings could financially suffer and, in
turn, their jobs and reputations would go right down the drain. Most grudgingly
came to the conclusion that the Captain was right.
There was no reason to jump the gun. The ship would dock in just a few days
and they would be on solid ground where the police and the people who were
knowledgeable about this sort of thing could handle it. The Captain watched
their faces, heard their silence and could nearly pin-point by their expressions
the exact moment that he knew he had won. No one here would say a thing.
"Furthermore, gentlemen, I suggest you meet with all of the crew members in your
sector and advise them as to the situation without going into every detail. I want
security measures tightened and the critical issue is, as always, the safety of all
passengers, especially the women and children on board. You will impress upon
them that it is vital to keep this knowledge under their hats. You will then return
to your posts and remember, keep an eye out for anyone matching the description
of the suspicious party. It is our charged duty to make sure everyone is safe here
on the Titanic, especially the first class passengers. Remember: discretion, Gentlemen.
Always be discrete."
Reading a dismissal in the Captain's turned back, the officers and crew members placed
their uniform caps back on their heads, rose from the table and silently filed from the room.
All but one.
Second Officer Lightoller held back, still hoping to convey his feelings of concern
about the floating ice in the waters and the speed of the ship that Captain Smith still
maintained.
Despite their differences in age and, more importantly, in rank, the two men had
sailed together previously on other ships in the White Star Line and had developed
a polite friendship and mutual respect.
"Edward, a moment please?"
The Captain stood, his spine ramrod straight and his hands clasped behind his back.
When his friend spoke, he knew they were alone. He never would have breached
protocol by using the Captain's given name in the presence of the others. It was
safe to turn around and allow the stress, exhaustion and concerns that lined his
face to be seen. When he had spoken earlier, his voice was firm and unwavering,
now it sounded tired and unsure.
"Yes, what is it."
Sir, I know you are under extreme pressure to bring the ship in ahead of schedule
but I fear things may be getting perilous. There is increased floating ice in the
water and the forecast is for dropping temperatures and no wind for the next two
nights. Now, I too am shocked by the death of steward Diamond and concerned
about the missing girls in third, but, Sir, I believe our priority as far as the
crew should be....."
"I am well aware of what our priorities should be Mr. Lightoller."
"Of course, Sir, I never meant to....."
"No, no, it is I who must apologize. I know you only have the concerns of the
ship and her passengers in mind. This is my final voyage, Mr. Lightoller. My
last and the Titanic's first and I want people to remember us both. Trust me
to do my job, and I will trust you to do yours."
Second Officer Lightoller nodded and smiled. He saluted the Captain, turned
on his heel and left, returning to his post and his duties. The Captain paused for
a moment, alone in the large meeting room and giving himself a minute of solitude
before he returned to his bedroom.
He selected his most decorated uniform jacket and he dressed as he prepared
to join the passengers in the first class dining hall.