By Paul Corman

The sound of the orchestra in the first class lounge filled the ship with dance music. It floated up to the ship's wheelhouse on the cool fall air.

The helmsman looked out into the fog that covered the ocean and shivered with a feeling of uncertainty.

"We have something big on the radar," he heard the electronics specialist say to Captain Bush. "I think it's an iceberg."

The Captain looked at the screen. "It's nothing to worry about. Stay on course."

"Captain," First Officer Kerry said. "It looks dangerous. Don't you think we should go around it?"

"That's why you'll never have your own command, Kerry," the Captain said. "You keep changing direction all the time. The only way to get the job done is to stay on course. My daddy taught me that lesson and I've never forgotten it."

The crew looked at each other. Their expressions were tense and grim.

"But sir," Mr. Kerry said. "Shouldn't we check with other ships in the area and find out what they've seen?"

"Mr. Kerry, I'm Captain here. I'll make the decisions. We have important passengers, who need to get to shore-oil company executives and arms manufacturers. You're asking me to prevent some very rich and important people from exercising their God given right to make money."

Mr. Kerry picked up his binoculars as the helmsman wiped the sweat from his forehead and strained to see out into the dark night. All they saw was black fog rolling in over the bow of the ship where a few passengers from third class had come up to take some air.

The crew continued to monitor the iceberg and Captain Bush went down to join first class passengers as they dined and danced. He mentioned the situation to the ship's designer. Mr. Cheney assured the Captain that the ship was unsinkable and that there was absolutely nothing to worry about. There would always be those who lacked vision and courage, who would stand in his way. The secret was to have faith in those who knew what they were doing and stomp on his enemies if they got in his way.

To prove his point Mr. Cheney took out the plans to the ship. He pointed out its strengths. They spent a lot of money on its construction. Sure they'd cut some corners and lined their own pockets, but that was standard practice. And of course they'd re-cycled some old ideas that had failed miserably in the past.

He admitted that the Kennedy designed ship, Vietnam, had sunk. "That," he said, "was not a design flaw. The problem was poor marketing. If they had advertised the cruise better, more people would have signed on. It was lack of faith and determination that sunk that ship."

True he admitted that much of this ship's plan was based on the Ronald Regan design that believed only size mattered. Regan championed the concept that if the top of the ship was well constructed you didn't have to worry about the hull. The benefits of a strong upper deck would naturally flow down to the lower levels, strengthening them.

"We've used the same concept in this ship," he admitted. "Give most of the benefits to the above deck structure and what's below the water line will naturally look after its self. The good old trickle down construction theory."

On the bridge the crew's anxiety grew stronger as they drew closer and closer to the iceberg. Radar now showed it's massive bulk towering above the ship. No one could predict how much of the huge berg lurked below the surface.

On the bow, the ship's security people were warning the third class passengers to go back below deck. When the huge, white mountain of ice came into view, First Officer Kerry ordered the helmsman to make a hard left turn away from it. He sent a cabin boy to fetch Captain Bush.

Kerry had just ordered 'engines full back' when the Captain stormed onto the bridge.

"Full ahead, and turn the helm to the right!" he yelled at the helmsman.

"But sir," Kerry said. "We'll run right into the iceberg."

"This is the biggest ship in the world. Nothing can hurt us."

"That's crazy. We'll sink."

"I'm the captain of this ship. I'll decide if we're going to sink or not! Helmsman! Turn to the right!"

The helmsman hesitated. He looked at Kerry and then at the Captain. He knew he had to obey one of them. Should he listen to the voice of reason-or his crazy Captain?

Reluctantly he swung the wheel to the right. The bow of the big ship pointed at the iceberg. The ship's security people were beating the third class passengers, forcing them back into the hold.

As the iceberg ground down the side of the ship it tore through the rivets and steel. Water began to gush into the crippled boat.

As the lifeboats pulled away from the sinking ship, Captain Bush, Mr. Cheney and all the first class passengers looked back at the doomed vessel and drowning third class passengers.

"It wasn't your fault," Mr. Cheney said to the Captain. "It was Mr. Kerry's indecisiveness that sunk her. Besides, there are lots more boats where that one came from. Don't worry. Our friends here will look after us."