Fill These Boats! [Ch. 3]

R.M.S Titanic

12:45 A.M | 1H 4M Into Sinking | April 15, 1912

Thomas was going about the ship, assisting those who needed assistance, while also urging reluctant passengers to put their life belts on and get up to the boat deck.

First and Second Class passengers were gathering in the Dining Room and Grand Staircase. Mister and Misses Astor were sitting outside the Dining Room in cushioned green and dark oak wooden chairs.

The band could be heard playing their elegant tunes to keep everyone calm; Mr. Hartley was leading his fellow bandmates.

Outside, steam was being exhausted through the steam lines connected to the funnels. The overpowering hissing being produced was making the evacuation a nightmare for crewmembers. Second Officer Lightoller was overseeing the Portside boats, while First Officer Murdoch was overseeing the Starboard boats.

For some time, the ship had maintained a slight list to Port; although it was correcting itself the lower she sank into the dark, frigid water. It's only a matter of time before the ship founders. Then what? What's going to happen then?

"Women and children only, Sir," Officer Lightoller shouted to the old man. "Women and children ONLY. Step back! All of you!"

"Come now miss," Lightoller said as he extended a hand.

Until 12:45 A.M, no lifeboats had been boarded and launched. It was at this time that the first boat, 007 was launched noticeably under capacity.

Walking up the stairs from B Deck, Thomas walked over to the railing, looking down at the expansive view of the six decks the staircase went to and from. Barely visible from B deck was water starting to creep its way up to E deck. This was worrying indeed.

"Ah, Mr. Andrews," Mr. Astor said with a faint smile and wave of his hand. Ms. Astor put her arm around his as they approached Thomas. Wearing their finest, Mr. Astor was pleasantly dressed for the pending occasion. "I, myself along with my misses, are wondering why the engines have stopped?"

Thomas looked over at them. They hadn't mentioned it to him, but they could see the fear in his eyes; the sorrow and guilt. He looked around to make certain no one was listening in or eavesdropping.

Thomas grabbed Ms. Astor's hand, gently placing his other hand over her gloved hand. She was wearing white gloves that went past her elbow. They weren't wearing their life belts like so few others were.

"Mister and Misses, I stress to you that you must put your life belts on," Thomas said, "for, as I fear, that you will need them soon."

"So you say?" Mr. Astor questioned.

"Is the ship going to sink?" Ms. Astor asked, "on our evening stroll, we saw the iceberg. It was so close…"

"Darling, please."

"That I could have touched it."

With a quick glance around again, Thomas took one step closer.

"The ship, I regret to inform you, will founder in the hour's time; perhaps two. But no more."

Ms. Astor gasped. Putting her hand over her mouth to hide it. She looked up at J.J. He looked down at her with a reassuring subtle smile.

"I do not believe this ship could sink. It is unsinkable."

"Apologies, Mr. Astor," Thomas replied, "but no man-made vessel like she, is unsinkable. The bigger the ship, the easier it will be to sink. I am afraid that is the case with Titanic."

"Preposterous!" Mr. Astor with a raised voice, "I was assured Titanic was the safest ship in the world!"

The band had finished playing their tunes in the Dining Room. A crew member had asked them to transition to playing outside on deck. Now that the steam exhaustions finished, and all steam expelled, passengers were now being directed to move outdoors to continue with the evacuations.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the crewman announced, "if you would please make way to the boat deck please. Again, everyone please gather on the boat deck. Thank you."

Mister and Misses Astor were disgraced by how the situation was being handled.

"My lady should be resting, but she is here, with me, in wake at this hour," Mr. Astor argued.

"It is with great sorrow that I say that no one, myself included, will return to their beds on this night. Now if you would excuse me."

Thomas grabbed Ms. Astor's hand again, putting his other hand on top of it.

"Please, I ask of you, to put your life belts on and do as the crew asks. May god be with you three."

As he made his way up the stairs leading up to the boat deck, Mr. Astor walked over to the railing, looking down. His eyes widened, and his stance went stiff. Ms. Astor looked down as well, but didn't say or do anything. They were both in shock.

Just faintly, they could hear the swishing and swooshing of the water at the bottom. The water was reflecting the lights, which was a clear gave away of its presence.

Outside, on the Portside boat deck, Thomas rushed out to witness the boarding of the boats. Many women and children and men were crowding around the forward lifeboats.

At the center of the boarding and launching was Second Officer Lightoller. Thomas stood back and watched. As he did, a crewman approached him. He was carrying with him a dozen or so life jackets.

"Sir, your life jacket," the crewman said as he held one out for Thomas to take. When he took it, he looked around again; reminding himself of how many people did not have life jackets on. In order to change that attitude, he threw one on, tiring the ropes tight to securely fasten it over his coat.

"Mommy," a child said as she tugged on her mothers nightgown dress, "why is that man wearing that? What is it?"

The mother had curly brown hair, and her nightgown was white with pink and red rose patterns on it. The child was wearing a red button-up coat, but no life jacket.

"Sir, if I may," Thomas said to the crewman handing out life jackets, "might I assist?"

"Oh, uh, of course Sir," he said as he handed Thomas four life jackets. He gave them to Thomas and quickly took off to go and gather more to hand out.

"Yes sweetheart?" The mother said as she leaned over and looked down. The child pointed directly at Mr. Andrews. When she did, the mother looked up and over at him. "Oh, well that's a life jacket dear. If he is wearing one, we should too, yeah?"

Thomas approached them and handed two life jackets to them. One to the mother, and one to the child.

"May I?" He asked her.

"Thank you, kind gentleman."

"Pleasure."

He got down on his knees. He set one life jacket down on the deck, while he helped put the other one on the girl. He lifted it up and over the girls shoulders and head. Setting it down, he grabbed the ties to tie it tight around her. Once he was done, he picked the other one up and faintly smiled at the woman and child.

"I'll see to it you have a place aboard this boat," Mr. Andrews told them.

"Thank you."

He simply nodded in acknowledgement as he heard Officer Lightoller give the order.

"She's the last. Prepare to lower."

Thomas slipped by people as he rushed over to Officer Lightoller.

"Mr. Lightoller, please."

"Not now Mr. Andrews."

"You were about to launch a boat with only twenty-two people? Twenty-two!"

"I don't take orders from you, Mr. Andrews."

"These boats were tested in Belfast with the weight of seventy men! Now fill these boats, for god's sake man!"

"Oh my," a woman mumbled under her breath.

Officer Lightoller was taken away by how Thomas was speaking. But, on the other hand, Thomas knew more about this ship and the lifeboats than he did himself.

"I give no orders, Mr. Lightoller. I only advise you to fill them to their designed limits."

Breathing heavily and fiercely, he turned around and looked down at the women and children already in the boat.

"Let you not be responsible for the deaths of many," Thomas mumbled carefully so no passengers would hear his words. "Is that what you seek, Mr. Lightoller?"

"Mr. Andrews!" Lightoller shouted with a raised voice. "You–"

"You will fill these boats! And you will fill them now!" Mr. Andrews shouted as he stormed off in an angry rush. That altercation was something that could have easily been avoided if Officer Lightoller was content and willing to listen. How blindsided is he? How negligent?

This would be the last time Officer Lightoller would see Thomas Andrews. It is something he would keep close to him until he meets his deathbed many years later.

Traversing through the Grand Staircase, going through to view the launches of the Starboard boats, is where he went next. The First Officer, William Murdoch was placed in charge. More lenient than Lightoller's strict attitude, Mr. Murdoch was allowing men to join on boats, but under one condition.

"Mr. Murdoch," Thomas said as he approached William. Also present was W.S.L [White Star Line] Bruce Ismay. Ismay's sights were set on the boat Mr. Murdoch was currently boarding and preparing to launch.

"Mr. Andrews," he said.

"I see more passengers gathered on Mr. Lightoller's side than this yours."

"He was the "popular" one, was he not?"

"Ah, a joke I take it."

"Only to lighten the mood," he replied as he grabbed the hand of an old woman to help her into the lifeboat.

"Mr. Andrews," Bruce Ismay said from behind.

Thomas looked back over his shoulder, but refused to acknowledge Mr. Ismay. He tossed a life jacket to Bruce.

"You know, Mr. Ismay, the rich are no gods. Is that how you felt when we set sail? Felt as if you were a god? Unable to be hurt, and could get by anything put in their way?" Thomas argued.

Earlier, when Thomas informed Captain Smith that the Titanic would sink, is when he and Bruce Ismay had exchanged a brief argument about the redundancy safety systems built into the ship.

"She can't sink," is what Ismay argued to Thomas.

"Rest assured Mr. Ismay, she can…and she will. She's made of iron."

"Rubbish!" Ismay replied.

"To you, most certainly. But to the 2,200 people on board, this ship will be at the bottom of the Atlantic in one or two hour's time! That much, I assure you."

"Where is everyone?" Mr. Andrews asked Mr. Murdoch.

Murdoch walked over to the stairs leading down to the lower deck. Looking down, the lower deck was still dry. No water as of yet. But it was coming; slowly but surely.

Walking over to the side of the ship, he looked down. The surface was still about eight-to-nine feet away from the boat deck.

"Is there anyone else? Anyone else!" Mr. Murdoch shouted loudly.

In the background, you could hear the band playing Wedding Dance; a popular tune of the time. They were on the Portside boat deck.

When his back was turned, Bruce Ismay stepped down into the boat, quick to take a seat next to a woman.

"Coward!" She yelled.

"Mr. Ismay!" Murdoch said as he turned around after hearing the woman shout.

Thomas walked over to the boat davits, standing alongside Mr. Murdoch. Both silently staring at him, Ismay didn't acknowledge them. He ignored their cowardly gazes.

"Anyone else?" Mr. Murdoch shouted again. "Mr. Andrews?"

Thomas looked over at him, subtly shaking his head.

"These boats are meant for women and children. I shall not take their seat. Nor shall I sit next to a coward of a man."

"Prepare to launch," Mr. Murdoch said, "both sides together now."

Mr. Andrews watched as the boat slowly started descending down onto the cold, frigid water of the Atlantic. Just before going out of view, Ismay looked up at Murdoch and Andrews. With a deep breath, he gulped and swallowed the fear of death as the boat continued its descent.