Free Seabound (Seabound Chronicles Book 1) by Jordan Rivet Page B

whether it’s survivors
or fuel that could keep us going for another few years.”
    A look of
understanding lit Neal’s face. “I think Esther’s right. It would be foolish to
sail on without investigating.”
    “It wouldn’t take
long to send the lifeboat over,” Reggie said.
    “How would we get
up to the deck if there really are no survivors? I think we need to extend some
sort of gangway,” Esther said. “You know that big piece of steel Manny dragged
up during the storm? It wouldn’t take long to bolt a few pieces like that
together and . . .” Esther and Reggie conferred over the options. But the crowd
was growing restless.
    “We should sink
it!” Mrs. Cordova shouted over the din. “That way the disease won’t spread to
anyone else.”
    She was gathering
support on her deck.
    “But there could
be sick people aboard who need our help!” Bernadette called from a balcony.
    More voices chimed
in. “They told us to stay away!”
    “We have to worry
about ourselves.”
    Mrs. Cordova
seemed to swell as she shouted, “We can’t let whatever killed those people get
off that ship. Send it to the bottom of the sea!”
    Judith raised a
hand for silence. Esther had to admit that she had a commanding presence. She
made people listen.
    “This is why I’ve
called everyone up. For the sake of the community, this is a decision that has
to be made together. I propose that we put it to a council vote.”
    Esther thrust her
hand into the air. Judith didn’t look happy to be interrupted, but she made a
point of hearing people out when others were watching.
    “I think we should
send a crew over to find out what’s going on,” Esther said. “That way the
council can make an informed decision. Reggie and the guys can put together a
ramp so we can get across.”
    A few people in
the crowd murmured their agreement.
    “Don’t you know
anything about disease?” Mrs. Cordova shrieked. “If one person goes over there,
they’ll bring it back with them. We might as well invite the ghosts in now.”
    People around her
nodded. The crowd seemed to surge closer, buoying her up with their support.
    “She’s right!”
    “Yeah, let’s stay
away. That’s what the sign says anyway.”
    “If they wanted
help, they’d ask for it!”
    “We can’t just
leave it!” Esther shouted. She climbed up on the railing so she could see above
the throng. “I volunteer for the salvage team.”
    The rumble of
voices increased in volume. The people on the inner lido deck shouted that they
couldn’t hear. They pushed forward, oozing out of the doorways, putting extra
weight on the balconies.
    “What does the
sign say?”
    “Do they have
food?”
    “What’s going on?”
    “It
seems—quiet, please—it seems we have no choice but to meet before
anyone makes a further move,” Judith announced. “The council will go over our
options and come to a consensus. If a harmonious solution is not obvious, we’ll
put it to a silent vote. The choices are: leave the Orchid to float
where it will; send a small party to investigate and salvage whatever materials
we can find; or sink the ship to ensure that the disease won’t spread to any
other communities.” She turned to where Manny was waiting at the door to the
bridge.
    “This shouldn’t be
up to a committee,” Esther shouted, earning a glare from Judith. She couldn’t
let this go to the council, not this time. They’d do whatever Judith told them
to. “It’s getting harder to pull salvage. Things are going to fall apart on
this ship eventually. You know it, or you wouldn’t be hoarding so much of it in
the lounge, Judith. Everybody, we can’t let that ship go. Think of what’s being
wasted over there.”
    Simon put a hand
on her arm. “Esther, the risks . . .”
    But there was a
rumble of approval through the assembly. They shouted at Judith to let them
search the ship. She said something about the council, but the people drowned
her out. The council always did Judith’s