Perseverance (The Resident FF) by Frances51163

CHAPTER NINETY-FIVE: Dinner With The Phillips Family

Looking around the group Conrad wondered how he got in this predicament and silently cursed his friend.

"Didn't want James to feel bad," the quiet man finally offered with a shrug as he busied himself picking up a glass jug and pouring some water into his glass.
"You must have been exhausted the following morning," Pete stated frankly.
"We'd done long hikes before."
"So tell us about the business James," Jude decided to step in as he saw his companion struggling, "I assume it's doing well since the two boys are with you."
"Yeah," James winked at Conrad in apology for putting him on the spot before grinning at the Surgeon, "the first couple of years were hard but gradually we've built up a reputation.   We started on the mainland, in Miami.  Eleven years ago."
"So ye have two businesses?"
"No when we decided to move over here we sold the old business and bought one a friend was selling.  Luckily he had a lot of goodwill built up with his clients and he was willing to recommend us.   Wound up keeping most of his clients."
"So what type of business is it exactly?" Conrad wondered as he sipped some water.
"Sightseeing tours is the main side of the business," Logan elaborated, "but we do deliveries for certain clients as well."
"All helicopters?" Jude looked at James.
"We have a couple of Cessnas but mainly we use helicopters.  Will ye have time to go on a tour on the Big Island?"
"We were planning on one over the volcanoes," Conrad nodded.
"So you still love flying?" James grinned mischievously.
"Wouldn't say that."
"You don't like flying?" Logan asked in surprise, with his love of flying he could never understand people who didn't like it.
"Can think of better things to do."
"But you flew here?"
"Yeah," Conrad agreed nonplussed.
"Takes guts," Pete said in awe.
"Not sure what you mean," the fair haired man frowned.
"Well we all know when people say they don't like flying they really mean they're afraid of it, usually anyway.   So if you're afraid of flying it's a pretty gutsy thing to travel by airplane," Logan expounded on his siblings' reasoning.
"Only part to worry about is take off, landing and in between," Conrad shrugged deprecatingly causing the others to chuckle, "apart from that it's fine."
"Conrad I don't think they're going to hire you to advertise the business," Thomas laughed before becoming serious, "so what did ye think of Pearl?"
"Sobering.  It was our first time there," Jude responded as he finished his cappuccino, "I've read so much about it I was glad to actually visit."
"Hard to believe so many died on one day," Conrad acknowledged softly.
"We went when we first moved here," Pete stated, "Mom was fascinated by Pearl Harbor.  She read all the history books."
"Not so sure I agree with tourists wearing shorts and flipflops on the Arizona Memorial," Thomas shook his head sadly.
"We know honey," Macy retook her husbands' hand for this was obviously an old concern, "but it's out of our hands."
"I know dear."
"People visiting the Vietnam Memorial in D.C. also wear sandals and shorts," Jude observed.
"Difference is there is no one buried under the wall," Jim put in.
"I know," the tall man nodded for he was well aware that apart from the remains of those who sank with the battleship on the infamous day in 1941 many survivors had since been buried there in the intervening years so the Arizona Memorial was also a watery graveyard.
"Did ye see the Black Tears?" Logan checked, referring to the name attributed to the oil still leaking from the sunken vessel.
"No," Conrad shook his head, "amazing it's still flowing out after over seventy years though.   It's interesting the number of things that had to fall in place that morning for the attack to be so successful.   In a way it's a bit like all the things that had to fall into place for the Titanic to go down."
"How so?" Logan asked eagerly.

"Are ye sure ye want to hear this?" Conrad looked at the others, not wanting to bore anyone but glad of a chance to say away from Afghanistan.
"Yes!" Pete insisted as his twin nodded fervently.
"Please," Macy looked over at the pale young man, "we know some things about the Arizona but I have always been interested in the Titanic."
"Well it wasn't just one thing that sank either vessel.  Take the Titanic first.  There was a fire raging in the boiler room before it even set out ...,"
"The Titanic was on fire before it began its' journey?!" this was news to Logan and Pete who spoke in unison.
"Yeah.  White Star couldn't afford any more delays and made the decision to let it sail.  They'd already had a two month delay."
"Money," Macy said in disgust, "and the lack of lifeboats was also a cost decision."
"Yes.   Another monetary factor was the type of rivets used on the hull.   To save money they used rivets made of steel and glass.   If the rivets had been stronger the hull would have been harder to breach."
"What other factors were there?" James asked as a Waiter brought over another bottle of wine.
"Well there are eyewitness accounts that on the night in question there was an unusual amount of stars.  It made the horizon difficult to see.  It's believed that helped in hiding the iceberg from view until it was too late to avoid it."
"Do you think the Captain froze?" Logan looked across at Conrad.
"I know there are eyewitness accounts that he did but at the end of the day I can't judge the man.  He was facing a disaster and knew most if not all souls on board were going to die.  No one knows exactly what he was thinking unless they were in his shoes and at the end of the day he went down with the ship.  He didn't try to save himself.  That stands for something."
"Quite right," Thomas said approvingly.

"A photograph came to light a couple of years ago which actually shows where the hull is blackened as it's docked.  The fire was known back in 1912 but the Titanic Enquiry didn't consider it relevant to the sinking.  Still some Historians disagree that the fire was a contributing factor.  Boiler room fires were not unusual but this one had been raging for three days before the vessel sailed and it got worse during the journey."
"Do you think it was a factor?" Thomas questioned curiously.
"Yes I do.  The workers in the boiler rooms witnessed how bad the fire was.  None of them were called to the Enquiry to give evidence yet they were the ones trying to put it out.  It wasn't the only cause of the sinking but I do believe it played a part."
"Like you said all of these things joined together spelt disaster for the Titanic," Jude acknowledged shaking his head.
"I read before the Captain could have offloaded the passengers onto the iceberg until help came," Pete offered.
"Problem with that son is the person who initially suggested the idea had plenty of hindsight in which to think of it," Thomas looked at his grandson kindly as he set him straight, "and maybe if such a disaster happened today a Captain would try but in 1912 Smith and the crew were dealing with an unfolding catastrophe of epic proportions."
"Guess it's easy to think outside the box when you're not actually trying to save so many souls," Macy put in regretfully, "now how about we call it a night?    It's getting late."

"But what about the Arizona?  What other factors were there besides the Japanese?" Logan demanded.
"I'd like to hear about that too," Macy smiled easily as she eyed the Resident who was unsuccessfully stifling a yawn, "and I am hoping Conrad will tell us all about it another evening.  In fact tomorrow night we would like ye to dine with us again and this time I will pick the venue.  Then we can hear about the Arizona but for now you need some rest young man."
"Sorry," Conrad blushed in apology, "didn't mean to be rude."
"You're not in the best of health," Thomas commented shrewdly as he beckoned the Waiter over and took out his wallet, "not your fault.  Now will ye accept our invitation for tomorrow night?"
"There's ......,"
"We'll be delighted to," Jude cut in hastily knowing a refusal was coming.
"Good," James smiled before continuing cryptically for his father had told him where the two men were residing, "and I know where my mother will pick for a meal so ye'll like it, the Royal Hawaiian.   Sound familiar?"

tbc

Authors' Note

To those unfamiliar with the Titanic it sank on its' maiden voyage on the 15th of April, 1912 after striking an iceberg in the North Atlantic, off the coast of Newfoundland.  1,496 people died on the night/morning as the vessel took two hours forty minutes to sink.    There were only enough lifeboats on the vessel for half of the people on board.