RTT Chapter 42 / Start of a New Life Part 3

By the end of April, the refurbishing of the Titanic was coming on smoothly for most of the interiors had been  completely removed and empty now awaited their new contents. While this had been happening, back over in England, designers had brought new plans to update the ship's cabins to try and match with current times of shipping and passenger travel. The project of the restoration was on track and so far looking very promising in being completed sooner than anyone had first thought. While all this was happening, hundreds of young men were undergoing training to work as Titanic's new crew but by working on smaller ships to work their way slowly up to when the day came. The new White Star Line was confident that this project was going to work. They still refused any source of media or news reporters to come and ask them any questions despite the fact that the returning of the Titanic was known and aware by so many.

The cabins for first, second and third class were all taken care of to upgrade them to make them more luxurious and glamorous, just as they were back in 1912. The safety features such as watertight compartments and remotely activated watertight doors were also improved. The new bulkheads that were made within the ship were extend all the way up to the weather deck. New boilers that resembled Titanic's older ones were built and installed in her lower decks and even new engines. While this happened, the new steel for her outer skin was welded together, replacing all the older rivets, giving a more smoother surface, which meant less water resistance and a great saving in weight. While the new bulkheads were being placed into position, one of the workmen discovered one of the old ones looked very deformed. Inspectors were called to see for themselves and after taking a much more in depth look at just how damaged the bulkhead was it lead them to believe that this was caused by a coal fire which started by itself by spontaneous combustion. What the bulkhead showed was that it was dented and warped but the blackness over it was later revealed to be black oil that covered up the burns to give it's normal look.

Daniel was high above on the upper decks, talking to the other men about the progress of the restoration when his phone rang.

"Oh I need to answer that, wont be a second."

He reached over and picked up the phone and answered it.

"Hello?......Yes this is Mr Stewart............. go on."

His face then showed an expression of confusion.

"Really? which one?........... I see, but are you certain it wasn't caused when the ship hit the ocean floor?............ I see, thank you."

He put the phone down before making a quick dash. Daniel made it down into to boiler room No. 6 where he found the team of inspectors with the workers crowded around the damaged bulkhead near the three story high coal bunker. They showed him where it was and he was very surprised.

"How did we manage to miss that?" he thought to himself, scratching his head.

He was later joined by Rudi Gunn and Al Giordino who came to give a hand in looking at this unknown find that had now sparked a new question surrounding the Titanic. The warped bulkhead raised concern and it was decided to removed it from the ship after further inspections were carried out. Matthew Anderson was called in too. He would look into the records of what happened and try and to get the answers needed to reveal how long the fire had been there and when it started until the day it was put out.

Back in the hotel, Kane Smith and his friends had been informed by Giordino on the phone about the finding of the coal fire, which made them all become very surprised and very shocked. Before they could even start asking questions, Titanic herself made her appearance, still in her dark form.

"So you finally got around in noticing it did you?" she said, sounding coldly.

"It's shocking to believe it but that's what we've been told and they have found it in where it took place in boiler room No. 6." said Kane Smith.

"Do you know when it might have started?" asked Arthur.

Titanic's eyes gave a slight glare towards him before answering.

"No one ever knew about it and it was never thought to play a role in my sinking. However, my memory of it is still there. I heard about it during the time when I was still a ship spirit where no one could see or hear me. One of my firemen, Mr John Dilley, reported it to a journalist in New York, claiming it was discovered when I was preparing to leave Belfast. To get rid of it, the men had to dig out the burning coal before it could spread. But my bunkers were three story high, so it would've been hard to put out anyway. With eleven other men, John Dilley fought the fire, trying to get rid of it. Hundreds of coal were stored there and the men made no headway against it and couldn't get it out before I departed. So from there, I was burning in flames while sailing to Southampton. When I left with my first passengers, they had no idea that a raging fire burning below their feet, my officers told my firemen to keep their mouths shut so that no alarm or panic would be triggered. I was really horrified to know. But it got more worse when I heard of just how bad it was. My bunkers had been loaded three weeks before I was ready for sailing and somewhere around that time, the fire started by itself. Due to my enormous size, I would've barely felt it, as little more than an itchy feeling. But as the days went on during my voyage, it had gotten worse. The last thing I remember about it was that the firemen were moving the coal around while it was burning and putting in into my boilers and it took them right up to Saturday where they finally got it extinguished, three days after I left Southampton."

"How come this was never mentioned in the inquire years years ago?" asked Kimmy.

"It was, but it was not said to have played no role in the disaster." Arthur said.

"No one's ever seen the damaged area until now, and it could pose a problem, even when we get the ship back into operation." said Kiara.  

Titanic gave a sigh.

"If any of you don't believe it, then here's what it would've looked like." she said while undoing her black belt before pulling the right side of her black dress up, exposing her leg and lower belly. The others were surprised by what they saw, not only was the scar of the iceberg there but also a thick mark close to it was also there, this was the burn mark of where the fire had been.

"So there you have it." Titanic said. "Hideous isn't it?"

"More like nasty." replied Kimmy, putting her hands to her mouth as if she was going to be sick.

Just then Daniel turned up as Titanic put her dress back down and did up her black belt. He was about to tell the others when he noticed her dark and menacing form and felt icy chills in his body and took a step back. Titanic saw this and as if by magic, she transformed herself back into her normal look.

"I trust this is less intimidating for you to see?" she asked.

"Uhh... yeah thanks," Daniel said, stuttering a little. "By the way, there's something I need to say but it's a little delicate."

"We were just told by Giordino on the phone since there's been a finding that the ship suffered fire." said Emily Life.

"There was yeah but that wasn't the only thing we found out," said Daniel. "The workers discovered a warped bulkhead between boiler rooms 5 and 6."

"How did that get there?" asked Arthur.

"Must've been by the fire itself by intensifying and causing it to spread." Daniel replied.

While the group talked, work commencing on the Titanic herself had slowed. But the project was ahead of schedule and by no means in danger. It was now May, and arrangements of bringing new yarrow boilers similar to those on the retired Queen Mary was given to be put in the lower decks. As one of them was being lowered down, Daniel told Dirk Pitt, who was drinking a warm cup of coco what was going on.

"We made arrangements to bring in Yarrow designed oil burner boilers to replace the burner scotch one to prevent the problem of coal fires."

"So I heard about that, Daniel. At least this will cure it."

They walked down the to aft deck. The stern of the ship was very much still the same as it was with a few upgrades made to it. Two new masts were being painted laying next to the propellors far below, which had been getting cleaned up and given fresh bronze blended into them. Titanic was also given a new turbine, again based on that which Queen Mary had, to be used to power her though the water. New lifeboats were either given by other ships or custom built. This time, the ship would carry more to meet the regulations to carry to full capacity of passengers and crew. They were laid up outside the location where Titanic was undergoing her reconstruction.

"I'll be exploring the new interiors for a bit." said Daniel.

"That's fine with me," said Dirk. "I'll be up here still watching the repairs made."

Inside, the Titanic's new interiors were mostly completed but still needed a few finishing touches but from a person's eye at first glance, one would think it was. Among the many being done was the grand staircase, where a brand new glass dome had be created matching the look of the older one but with modern glass which was much thicker. Much like that on her sister, Titanic's newly repaired grand staircase had more space and original oak panelling replicated with veneers, including the detailed carvings that were used along with paintings with similar looking bronze cherubs and candelabra. Daniel was amazed by how far the project had come and this was one of the many masterpieces to ever make. He gave a big smile, feeling proud of what was coming along. He later made his way to see new First Class lounge, which was mostly completed but still needed new carpeting and modern chairs. Then he saw the work on the Verandah & Palm Court that had retained is former glory. Despite all this was happened to restore Titanic, the ships of today were not made like this, which was a sad truth in it's own way.

Daniel decided to make his way up to forward deck. He reached the bridge where work was still being done. It was at this point that he felt a quick sudden chill up his spine as if someone or something was watching him. Turning around, he was glad to see that it was only Matthew Anderson who had some good news.

"That coal fire issue has been dealt with and we'll have the bulkhead removed by tomorrow," he said. "The information I got was remarkable. It was reported that during the voyage the firemen were fighting the fire around the clock to get it out as quick as they could despite the fact the bunker was three stories high. They managed to do so in the end but the fire had damaged it so much that it was warped due to how red hot the bulkhead was. Instead of telling one of the officers, one of the firemen got some black oil and cover it over as if it never happened."

"Yet, all this time, the passengers were never told about it?" Daniel asked.

"No," replied Matthew. "Not a single one was ever told about the raging coal fire."

There was only one word for Daniel to respond, saying, "Blimey!"