Captain Nemo_ The Fantastic History Of A Dark Genius Part 35

Hetzel beamed. "Well, there's a challenge for you."

Verne said a quick farewell and left. He had writing to do.

For years since the publication of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Verne's readers had continued to shower him with letters and praise, ecstatic in their adoration for the character of Captain Nemo. Even as a fictional person, Nemo still left Verne feeling envious and dissatisfied with his own accomplishments.

What is it about the man?

Upon finis.h.i.+ng the sub-marine book, he had considered the story complete. He had described the Nautilus Nautilus sinking in the terrible maelstrom off Norway, forever vanished along with its brooding captain and mysterious crew beneath the dark, cold waters. sinking in the terrible maelstrom off Norway, forever vanished along with its brooding captain and mysterious crew beneath the dark, cold waters.

But his readers begged to hear more of the dark genius. Nemo, Nemo! They wanted the captain's background explained, they wanted the mystery solved. Finally, dejected and trying to salvage his ambitious desert-island novel, he realized that Nemo might yet have another role to play. Verne had thought of a way to rid himself of his terrible jealousy, once and for all.

He wrote The Mysterious Island The Mysterious Island in three substantial volumes. Instead of using average castaways, Verne populated his ma.s.sive novel with characters taken from Rurapente. An intelligent engineer, Cyrus Harding, led the group, used his ingenuity to build a magnificent house inside a granite cliff. The castaways learned how to smelt iron, domesticate wild animals, even set up a telegraph . . . all the while a.s.sisted by a secretive benefactor who came to their aid at appropriate moments, yet never revealed his ident.i.ty. in three substantial volumes. Instead of using average castaways, Verne populated his ma.s.sive novel with characters taken from Rurapente. An intelligent engineer, Cyrus Harding, led the group, used his ingenuity to build a magnificent house inside a granite cliff. The castaways learned how to smelt iron, domesticate wild animals, even set up a telegraph . . . all the while a.s.sisted by a secretive benefactor who came to their aid at appropriate moments, yet never revealed his ident.i.ty.

At the end of the long novel, after readers had waited month after month during the serialization, they learned the truth: The guardian angel on the mysterious island was none other than an aging and bitter Captain Nemo, who had survived the sinking of the Nautilus Nautilus and brought his damaged sub-marine boat to a cave beneath the volcano. . . . and brought his damaged sub-marine boat to a cave beneath the volcano. . . .

By now, Verne had realized his error in not showing the actual demise of Nemo in the first novel. He could not simply let the Nautilus Nautilus disappear into the treacherous depths, where it was disappear into the treacherous depths, where it was presumed presumed destroyed. To rid himself of this burden forever, Verne depicted quite precisely the death scene of Captain Nemo, a man haunted by the tragic deaths of his wife and young son. destroyed. To rid himself of this burden forever, Verne depicted quite precisely the death scene of Captain Nemo, a man haunted by the tragic deaths of his wife and young son.

In the final chapters, with the castaways gathered around him on the entombed Nautilus Nautilus, the captain died aboard his beloved sub-marine boat. To honor Nemo's final request, the character of Cyrus Harding operated the controls for a final time before disembarking. The castaways watched as the Nautilus Nautilus sank slowly under the sea, bearing the body of the great Nemo, who was never to be seen again. . . . sank slowly under the sea, bearing the body of the great Nemo, who was never to be seen again. . . .

When Jules Verne completed the enormous ma.n.u.script, including the proud funeral, he at last felt free of Andre Nemo. He knew he would never see the man again, nor Caroline. As told by Verne, the story was not true . . . but the readers would be satisfied.

"Forgive me, my friends," he murmured. Though altered and falsified, the account would certainly make a grand story.

He set aside his pen and looked at the thick journal filled with his words. No matter what happened in real life, Verne's readers would remember Captain Nemo, and his fate, the way the author had told it.

The true ending of Nemo's story was quite different from fiction, though.

The Nautilus Nautilus continued its voyage of discovery through the seas. Forsaking his war against War, Nemo preyed upon no s.h.i.+ps, but instead remained content with Caroline's company. He chose the sub-marine's course carefully, setting out for his favorite spot on the ocean bottom. continued its voyage of discovery through the seas. Forsaking his war against War, Nemo preyed upon no s.h.i.+ps, but instead remained content with Caroline's company. He chose the sub-marine's course carefully, setting out for his favorite spot on the ocean bottom.

He wanted to show Caroline the pinnacle of mystery and wonder he'd found beneath the waves. Standing with her on the bridge deck, Nemo felt like a romantic character in a storybook as they stared out at the turquoise-lit wonderland.

He looked over at the stiff-backed Englishman at the helm. "Mr. Harding? A progress report?"

Harding consulted his charts. "We should arrive within the hour, Captain."

Nemo took Caroline's arm in his. "Come with me to the salon. There is something you must see."

He led her again to the central salon, where he had cranked shut the iris plates over the wide, circular window, keeping the view hidden. Nemo poured each of them a gla.s.s of wine, then gestured for Caroline to sit in the chair beside him. While they waited, he looked into her face, studying the bright blue eyes that were so different from Auda's deep, dark gaze.

But Auda was gone, as was Caroline's husband -- and the two of them no longer had any barriers to their lifelong love.

Caroline's eyes were electric with antic.i.p.ation. Nemo sipped his wine, smiling as he allowed the suspense to build. He stroked her hair. Before long, he heard the thrumming engines slow. Harding's hollow-sounding voice came over the speaking tube. "We have arrived, Captain. All propellers at full stop."

"Thank you, Mr. Harding."

He held out his hand to Caroline. She took it and stood, gliding gracefully with him over to the closed windows. Using a louver-crank, Nemo slid back the metal plates, then turned a dial that extinguished the lamps inside the salon.

Outside, the ethereal light from the portholes hung like a diffuse halo around the Nautilus Nautilus. He encouraged Caroline to take a step closer to the viewing window, to allow her eyes to adjust. When she gasped out loud, he knew she had seen.

"Behold . . . Atlantis."

Drowned beneath pristine waters that were turned a jewel blue by filtered sunlight lay the ruins of an ancient, long-forgotten city. Fluted Corinthian pillars towered beside a fallen arch adorned with dervish-scarves of seaweed. The collapsed buildings showed magnificent, unrivalled architecture, now appreciated only by colorful fish that flitted in and out of the awesome drowned temples.

"It is beautiful, Andre," Caroline said, letting out a long breath. Her face glowed with childlike delight. Nemo thought he had never seen her look more lovely.

An alabaster statue of Adonis-like perfection lay facedown in the mud. Enameled urns that had tumbled to the soft ocean bed were now encrusted with coral. Green and pink sea anemones sprouted in basins and beside broken benches like an odd flower bed. Metallic-pink abalone sh.e.l.ls had wedged themselves into the cracks of a crooked flagstone path.

Nemo whispered his next words close to her ear. "I love you Caroline. I've loved you all of my life. There is so much more I want to share with you. The oceans of the world can be ours together. Will you marry me?"

Immense marble halls sagged under the weight of water and time. Gems, wrought-gold jewelry, and broken pottery lay strewn across the ocean floor. All traces of the original inhabitants of this place had vanished.

Caroline closed her eyes, letting the words into her heart like water into parched ground. "Of course I will, Andre." She opened her eyes and squeezed his hand. They didn't speak for a long time, just sharing the wonder of the world that lay before them.

"Come walk with me," Nemo invited, his voice barely above a whisper.

Caroline nodded. "Always."

Then slowly -- almost shyly -- they swayed toward each other, and their lips met in a kiss that held both reverence for the past and promise for the future. . . .

Leaving Cyrus Harding in charge, the two suited up in undersea garments. Surrounded by warm water, they steadied their footing on the sandy bottom. Nemo reached out to clasp Caroline's gloved hand. The pair moved like fairy dancers in slow, graceful motion.

As they explored, the final barriers between them seemed to melt away. The ancient paths and their own tortured histories of loneliness, tragic mistakes, and paths not taken now merged with the present into one magical moment frozen in time.

Everything they had endured or experienced in their lives had brought them to this point. They were together now now with the future ahead of them. Life was filled with opportunities, a story of love and adventure yet to be written. Regrets over what might have been were washed away by the warmth of the current. with the future ahead of them. Life was filled with opportunities, a story of love and adventure yet to be written. Regrets over what might have been were washed away by the warmth of the current.

Time had cast its veil of poignant splendor over this ancient place, a reminder that the past was not a thing to fear, but an essential part of the present and all that was yet to come. Walking together, they ventured through the sunken city, treading where no one had gone for century upon century.

It was only the first of many wonders they would experience together.

DEDICATION.

This book is for CATHERINE, who has been an intelligent, insightful, hardworking, and all-around delightful companion on many of my fictional "extraordinary voyages."

Jules Verne's characters could not have hoped for a better fellow adventurer.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

During the researching, writing, and editing of this novel, I have valued the insights, suggestions, and expertise of a great many people, including my agents Matt Bialer and Robert Gottlieb at the Trident Media Group, John Ordover at Pocket Books, Diane Jones and Diane Davis Herdt at WordFire, Inc., friends and/or fellow authors Erwin Bush, Steve Baxter, Piers Anthony, Harry Turtledove, and of course my wife, Rebecca Moesta Anderson

ABOUT THE AUTHOR.

Kevin J. Anderson is the author of nearly 100 novels, 48 of which have appeared on national or international bestseller lists; he has over 20million books in print in thirty languages. He has won or been nominated for the Nebula Award, Bram Stoker Award, the SFX SFX Reader's Choice Award, and Reader's Choice Award, and New York Times New York Times Notable Book. Notable Book.

Anderson has co-auth.o.r.ed eleven books in the DUNE saga with Brian Herbert. Anderson's popular epic SF series, The Saga of Seven Suns, is his most ambitious work, and he is currently at work on a sweeping fantasy trilogy, Terra Incognita, about sailing s.h.i.+ps, sea monsters, and the crusades. As an innovative companion project to Terra Incognita, Anderson co-wrote (with wife Rebecca Moesta) the lyrics for two ambitious rock CDs based on the novels. Performed by the supergroup Roswell Six for ProgRock Records, the two CDs feature performances by rock legends from Kansas, Dream Theater, Asia, Saga, Rocket Scientists, Shadow Gallery, and others.

His novel Enemies & Allies Enemies & Allies chronicles the first meeting of Batman and Superman in the 1950s; Anderson also wrote chronicles the first meeting of Batman and Superman in the 1950s; Anderson also wrote The Last Days of Krypton The Last Days of Krypton. He has written numerous STAR WARS projects, including the Jedi Academy trilogy, the Young Jedi Knights series (with Moesta), and Tales of the Jedi comics from Dark Horse. Fans might also know him from his X-FILES novels or Dean Koontz's Frankenstein: Prodigal Son Dean Koontz's Frankenstein: Prodigal Son.

His Web site is www.wordfire.com.

Look for these and other digital works by Kevin J. Anderson: .

RESURRECTION, INC.

In the future, the dead walk the streets-Resurrection, Inc. found a profitable way to do it. A microprocessor brain, synthetic heart, artificial blood, and a fresh corpse can return as a Servant for anyone with the price. Trained to obey any command, Servants have no minds of their own, no memories of their past lives.

Supposedly.

Then came Da.n.a.l. He was murdered, a sacrifice from the ever-growing cult of neo-Satanists who sought heaven in the depths of h.e.l.l. But as a Servant, Da.n.a.l began to remember. He learned who had killed him, who he was, and what Resurrection, Inc. had in mind for the human race.

CLIMBING OLYMPUS.

They were prisoners, exiles, p.a.w.ns of a corrupt government. Now they are Dr. Rachel Dycek's adin adin, surgically transformed beings who can survive new lives on the surface of Mars. But they are still exiles, unable ever again to breathe Earth's air. And they are still p.a.w.ns.

For the adin adin exist to terraform Mars for human colonists, not for themselves. Creating a new Earth, they will destroy their world, killed by their own success. Desperate, exist to terraform Mars for human colonists, not for themselves. Creating a new Earth, they will destroy their world, killed by their own success. Desperate, adin adin leader Boris Tiban launches a suicide campaign to sabotage the Mars Project, knowing his people will perish in a glorious, doomed campaign of mayhem-unless embattled, bitter Rachel Dycek can find a miracle to save both the Mars Project and the race she created. leader Boris Tiban launches a suicide campaign to sabotage the Mars Project, knowing his people will perish in a glorious, doomed campaign of mayhem-unless embattled, bitter Rachel Dycek can find a miracle to save both the Mars Project and the race she created.

BLINDFOLD.

Atlas is a struggling colony on an untamable world, a fragile society held together by the Truthsayers. Parentless, trained from birth as the sole users of Veritas, a telepathy virus that lets them read the souls of the guilty. Truthsayers are Justice-infallible, beyond appeal.

But sometimes they are wrong.

Falsely accused of murder, Troy Boren trusts the young Truthsayer Kalliana...until, impossibly, she convicts him. Still shaken from a previous reading, Kalliana doesn't realize her power is fading. But soon the evidence becomes impossible to ignore. The Truthsayers' Veritas has been diluted and someone in the colony is selling smuggled telepathy. Justice isn't blind-it's been blinded blinded.

From an immortal's...o...b..tal prison to the buried secrets of a regal fortress, Kalliana and Troy seek the conspiracy that threatens to destroy their world from within. For without truth and justice, Atlas will certainly fall...

GAMEARTH.

Book 1 of the Gamearth Trilogy By Kevin J. Anderson It was supposed to be just another Sunday night fantasy role-playing game for David, Tyrone, Scott, and Melanie. But after years of playing, the game had become so real that all their creations-humans, sorcerers, dragons, ogres, panther-folk, cyclops-now had existences of their own. And when the four outside players decide to end their game, the characters inside the world of Gamearth-warriors, scholars, and the few remaining wielders of magic-band together to keep their land from vanis.h.i.+ng. Now they must embark on a desperate quest for their own magic-magic that can twist the Rules enough to save them all from the evil that the players created to destroy their entire world.

GAMEPLAY.

Book 2 of the Gamearth Trilogy By Kevin J. Anderson The Gamearth Trilogy continues. It was written in the Rules-Save the World! Over the past two years, a group of four players had given so much to their role-playing world that it had developed a magic of its own. The creatures, warriors, sorcerers, thieves-all had come alive. And now there is an odd connection between the gamers and their characters, splitting into factions to determine the fate of the Game itself and both the inside and the outside worlds.

GAME'S END.

Book 3 of the Gamearth Trilogy By Kevin J. Anderson The finale to the Gamearth Trilogy. It's all-out war between the players and characters in a role-playing game that has taken on a life of its own. The fighter Delrael, the sorcerer Bryl, as well as famed scientists Verne and Frankenstein, use every trick in the Book of Rules to keep the world of Gamearth intact while the outside group of players does everything possible to destroy it.