Noah's Ark: Encounters by Harry Dayle

broadcast, they could easily assume the asteroid hit Europe. It might be reasonable to think, or at least hope, that the Americas escaped unscathed. If you didn’t know better.”
    Dave opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by a telephone ringing. He answered it, then passed the receiver to Jake.
    “It’s for you. Silvia.”
    “Hi, Silvia. How are you? Right…right…okay, that’s unfortunate. Thanks for letting me know.” He replaced the handset. “Don’t suppose you speak Korean do you, Dave?”
    “Ha!” Dave shook his head and laughed.
    “Shame. Can you believe that out of nearly three thousand people on this ship, there are no Koreans? I thought we had just about every nation covered.”
    “Have you tried the Ambush ? They might have some polyglots down there.”
    “I already asked Coote. No such luck. Ah well, I don’t suppose it matters.” He patted his jacket, feeling the hard rectangle shape of the notebook inside. He didn’t like not knowing something. He liked it even less when the something was linked to dead bodies.
    There was a knock at the door, and without waiting for a response, it swung open and McNair wandered in, carrying a plastic bottle filled with water, and a copy of the complete works of Shakespeare.
    “Evening,” he said, smiling at both men.
    “Bit early this evening, aren’t you?” Jake shook the submariner’s hand vigorously.
    “Yes. I thought you might want to knock off a bit earlier, spend some time with Erica. It could be a busy day tomorrow. You should probably make the most of the quiet, now you’re a family man.”
    “That’s…that’s very thoughtful of you. Thanks, McNair.”
    “Don’t mention it. I’ve got reading material for a couple of months, and it doesn’t make much difference to me if I’m sitting devouring the words of the bard in my cabin, or up here. Besides, I want to get a look at that new boat the second we’re within visual range.”
    Jake smiled. “Not entirely altruistic motives then. How is it, out there?” He pointed at the door.
    “The atmosphere is electric.” McNair sat in the captain’s chair and got comfy, setting his water bottle down next to him, and putting his book on the arm rest. “Everyone’s talking about the new survivors. It’s the only topic of conversation, wherever you go.”
    “We don’t know there are survivors.”
    “There’d better be. I think the public have already decided there are, so there’s going to be a lot of disappointment if the thing is empty. Can’t blame them. First sign of life in nearly two months. Heck, I’m excited, and I’m used to spending months at sea seeing hardly a soul.”
    Jake didn’t admit that he did not share the excitement. He couldn’t help thinking about the headless men. He was far less convinced that finding new people would be a good thing.
    • • •
    The walk from deck ten to deck five was the furthest Vicky had been in weeks. The ship seemed to have changed. Last time she had been beyond the limits of their deck had been not long after the virus. The corridors had been quiet then. A large proportion of the community was shut away in their cabins, recovering from the terrible illness. Those who weren’t sick had been standing in for those who were; preparing meals, delivering medication, keeping things running. The atmosphere had been a mixture of relief at having survived the ordeal, and apprehension at what was to come. The contagion had brought home to everyone just how precarious their situation was.
    But that had been almost a month ago. Now, on this summer evening, the Spirit of Arcadia felt alive. People were out and about on every deck. Some going to the restaurant for their rations, others leaving, having already eaten. Most of the people on teams had finished their day’s work, and were happy to be spending time with family or friends.
    For the first time since the asteroid, Vicky saw the doors to the outside areas were open. Warm, salty air