Ten Minutes Fast, Chapter 40, "Fate, Destiny, and Politics"

Yes, George has done it again. Seemingly.

Seemingly, he has miscalculated again and transported both himself and Baker, and now with Hennessy, to 1912 and they are aboard the RMS Titanic. It's noon on Monday, April 14th. Mid-North Atlantic. Clear skies, calm seas. Air temperature in the mid-forties. By 2:00 AM the next morning, however ... give or take ten minutes, 1,496 of the original 2,224 passengers and crew aboard will have been scheduled to freeze, drown, and die in the below freezing North Atlantic waters.

Knowing the fate of the Titanic, will they be able to prevent this tragedy? Or is George, with his intergalactically divine experience and wisdom, using this miscalculation as an enlightenment about fate, destiny ... and time?

And is Baker (the author) using it as an insight into politics?

(Author's Note:?This Thomas Baker novel is largely based on true events. Political overtones included. Some chapters are preordained with creative license in order to move the story along. This story follows Baker's 'Sunset Playland', 'Sweet Land of Liberty', 'Something for Nothing', 'Exodus Afghanistan: A Personal Story', and 'Burnt Bridges and Loose Ends'. All of these works can be seen, posted chapter by chapter, episode by episode, and in their original and unedited manuscript form in search of a formal publisher-produced on this LinkedIn web page in the "Featured" and "Activity" sections. Some names and places, and dates, have been changed for privacy, personal protection, and national security)

Now, all three dressed in typical 1912 attire (not sure how or why that happens), they seem to have grasped their situation, and their whereabouts. They are conflicted as to how to proceed. Should they warn the captain and crew of the impending danger? The iceberg ... thus altering history to a new destiny and save the 1,496 lives? Of course, that would be their first instinct. Afterall, they are on this ship too. Or, do they accept fate ... but in so doing, can they transport themselves off this boat in time, and back (forward) to their own time in history, and not alter destiny and all of the ramifications that that change in fate would produce ... and thus save themselves?

It's almost a political decision.

Fate and destiny are two different things. Fate refers to premeditated, inevitable outcomes beyond one's control. Destiny is shaped by choices and actions, implying a sense of purpose and direction. Fate happens when you don't take responsibility. Destiny comes from active decisions.

Politics is a whole 'nother level of thinking. Like thinking sideways, or crooked ...

Hennessy: "Dammit, George! You did it again. What have you gotten us into this time? Do you realize we're on the Titanic, and this ship will hit an iceberg and sink two and a half miles to the bottom of the Atlantic tonight? Thousands, including us now, will die! ... go down with the ship, drown, or freeze to death! You have to get us out of here!"

George: "Must be the power of suggestion regarding the AI function of our wristwatches. When you jokingly mentioned about us being transported to 1912 and the Titanic when we were back with Columbus in 1492, that must have triggered an override on the time portal I calculated to get us back to 2024. Damn, this thing is sensitive."

Hennessy: "And apparently, has no sense of humor either!"

Baker: "George, I think we need to act quickly. This could be bad."

George: "Well, first, I think we do all we can to warn the captain and crew and try to prevent the tragedy."

Hennessy: "Yeah, okay ... I'll just go up to the bridge and say, 'Excuse me Captain, Sir, but me and my friends here are from the future and we happen to know that your ship is heading for a collision with an iceberg tonight. Could be bad. Actually, really bad. This ship will sink. You will go down with it, and over half of the passengers and crew will drown in the frigid Atlantic. It's gonna be in all the papers.' "

George: "Ray, I think that is precisely what you should do. How could we not?"

Hennessy: "Do they have a brig on this ship? Because that's where they will put us before we cause a mass panic among the crew and passengers."

Baker: "So, is this a political decision ... or a life and death decision?"

George: "It's a 'mess with fate and destiny, and time' decision ... and suffer the consequences."

Baker: "Well, a lot of people will suffer tonight, including us, if we don't."

George: "Yes, we have to try. That is your human instinct to save life. It's mine too. Especially, our own lives. But think of the lives we may be saving in the future if we bolt out of here. Who knows what ramifications there could be in history if we mess with destiny and change fate? On the other hand, perhaps, if we are successful in avoiding the tragedy ... well, we save 1,496 souls who would otherwise have a very bad night. We have the opportunity here to either flee or fight. So, what'll it be?"

Baker: "So, it's big picture versus small picture? Big picture, we die ... small picture, we're out of here? Or is it just the other way around?"

Hennessy: "Uh, boys, excuse me ... but I don't think we have the time to be philosophical about this right now ..."

Baker: "Right, and it all depends on if George can get us out of here in time ...

... I say we go warn the captain, best we can, due diligence ... and you, George, get us off this ship. Back to Logan, Utah 2024 ... you and me running at the Logah High track. And let's take Hennessy with us. Ilene is waiting with lemonade."

Hennessy: "Yeah, I agree, take Hennessy with you ... if they don't put all three of us in the brig first."

George: "That is a possibility ... and one of the many ramifications of our political decision here."

Baker: "Why do you keep saying it's a 'political decision'? This is simply a life or death, flee or fight ... do the right thing now, decision."

.....

In a manner of speaking, the rest of us here in America today ... it's mid-September, 2024 and about a month away from our 47th presidential election ... will be making the most critical, life or death, flee or fight, and 'do the right thing' political decision we may ever have to make as a country. As a people.

This decision, as could Baker's, George's, and Hennessy's decision on that ship in the freezing North Atlantic, alter reality ... or confirm it, either way affecting fate and destiny. Fight or flee ... big picture, small picture. Save yourself, family and friends, or save everyone in the world. It's the essence of politics. The essence of human nature to survive. It's the essence of right and wrong. Sometimes an impossible dilemma.

Add the reality of treachery, deceit, egos, greed, and the phony, superficial "well intentions" of many of our would-be leaders, and you have what we have today. Call it what you want. Best we can do in a democracy? Liberal agenda? Right wing agenda? Either way, it's turned into a fucking mess.

We are comfortable in our perception of America. Safe within our borders. Many of us afraid within our borders. Afraid that our freedoms, our comfort zones, will be taken away from us ... ironically, as we have taken freedoms away from others ... Native Americans, Black Americans, Women ... just to name a few. But fate is always a hunter, and destiny is ours to either suffer or celebrate. It's sink or swim politics, and our decision to make as a country and as individuals.

The world's perception of America is also in the balance.

.....

The presidential campaign is going well for the Democrats. Seemingly. Jerome Little Wolf has chosen a Black woman, a former Attorney General and prosecutor as his VP candidate. And he has just made a fool of Goldfinger Trump in their first nationally televised debate. It was Nixon-Kennedy all over again. A clear win for Little Wolf ...

... and it may have cost Goldfinger the election as he continues to incoherently rave nonsense and preach hate and division. Generally, people are getting sick of him.

Metaphorically, Goldfinger Trump could represent the iceberg in the path of our American ship of freedoms. He could sink us. Like he sinks everything he touches. So, do we just sit here and watch our ship sink? Should we warn the captain? Ready the lifeboats? Flee or fight? Let's just simply vote him away. America's destiny is in the hands of its people, not Goldfinger Trump ... Remember, fate happens when you don't take responsibility. Destiny comes from your active decisions.

Politics is a whole 'nother thing. A sideways, crooked thing.

.....

Baker, George, and Hennessy are not sure in which form they appear to the others on the ship. They soon realize that they are noticed by some of the passengers, and not by others. Some passengers seem to pass right through them walking on deck ...

George: "Well, that's a new one ..."

Hennessy: "It's like we're here, but we're not."

Baker: "Let's get up on the bridge and warn the captain ... if we can. Someone up there will see and hear us."

Hennessy: "Or maybe it's like me talking with Washington at Valley Forge. Through our minds and thoughts. Either way, we have to warn them."

George: "Ray, let's consider that Washington never intended to quit the revolution. And that your presence there, as well intentioned as we meant it to be, to save America, was only detected by 'Nelson', his horse. They have a sixth sense, you know."

Hennessy: "Okay, fine ... whatever. Let's get up there now and find out ... do what we gotta do. Then it's your job, Georgy boy, to get us off this berg ... ship ..."

.....

Fate ... destiny ... time ... politics. They all play a part in everything we do. Even in nature. Even, and especially, in religion.

The days, weeks and months leading up to the Titanic's fate on April 15, 1912 were loaded with destiny and politics that may have otherwise saved the Titanic and its doomed passengers. Human mistakes were made. Attention to safety was disregarded. A risk manager's nightmare. Things like a lesser grade of steel used in the hull of the ship. There was a low-grade coal fire burning for days in the storage bins below decks near the boiler room which tended to weaken the already compromised steel hull ...

... there were not enough lifeboats. There were no binoculars on the bridge, they were locked in a compartment on the crow's nest lookout stand and no one had a key ...

... J. Bruce Ismay, chairman of the White Star Line who was onboard for the Titanic's maiden voyage, urged the captain to push the Titanic to an excessive speed so that his marketing guys could brag that the ship arrived in New York ahead of schedule. Chairmen. Presidents. Politics. CEOs. Marketing ... Oh, brother!

.....

Hennessy makes his way up to the bridge. Baker and George follow. They bump into some passengers along the way, they walk right through others. Go figure. Up on the bridge, it's the same thing. They are invisible to most of the crew there, but not to the captain, Edward Smith.

Smith is a daunting figure. Definitely the man in charge. He is well aware of the possibility, but less probable, of icebergs in the area. He has gone against his better judgement as a seaman, navigator, sailor, and captain, and taken direction from the chairman, Ismay, to go faster ... at night now, and through waters with an iceberg alert in play.

Hennessy explains the best he can to Captain Smith of the pending danger. That there's not much time left. He is well aware that this must seem crazy to the Captain. "Who is this man? And the other two? Am I the only one who can see them? What's this all about? ..."

But the Captain, captain that he is, composes himself. He tries to grasp the situation to the best of his ability. He is experienced. He's seen it all. A captain's captain if there ever was one. He now realizes that he is the only one on the bridge who can see and hear Hennessy. He wonders if he is hallucinating ...

... but no. He looks Hennessy square in the eye and says, "Time is its own destiny, kid, we're just along for the ride."

With that, Hennessy backs away, eyes still locked on the captain's eyes and wondering if Smith heard him correctly. He knows he did. And they all heard what the captain had said ... and are trying to understand what demon premonition Captain Smith may be struggling with?

They leave the bridge with an awkwardly renewed misunderstanding of fate, destiny, time, and politics. George finds a quiet spot for them, in the brig of all places, to try and transport he and Baker back to 2024 Logan ... and Hennessy back to Pat in 2024 Denver.

Hennessy: "Who's he calling, 'kid'?

.....

Just as Ilene has finished making the fresh, icy lemonade, here comes Baker and George back from their run at the Logan High School Track. They've been gone less than an hour. They are hot and sweaty in their running clothes ...

She says, "That was fast. Too hot for you guys? ... anything interesting going on at the high school today?"

John Kushma is a communication consultant and lives in Logan, Utah

https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/john-george-kushma-379a5762/