"Sir, I have a reported fire in the chapel."

Waitkus came instantly awake. "Are the fire-control systems taking care of it?"

"Officers McFerrin and Harding, who are on the scene, report the systems as inoperative. They're attempting to contain the fire with extinguishers."

"Call out the fire crew to man the fire hoses."

"I've seen to that, sir."

"Have the lifeboat crews man their stations."

"Yes, sir. Right away."

As he hurriedly dressed, Waitkus could not conceive of an emergency that would call for him ordering 2,500 passengers and crew to board the lifeboats and abandon ship, but he was determined to take all precautions. He rushed to the bridge and immediately studied the fire-control console. It was still awash with green lights. If there was a fire, none of the sophisticated systems was detecting it, nor were they automatically engaging to put it out.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked Sheffield skeptically.

"McFerrin and Harding swear there is a fire raging in the chapel."

"This is impossible." Waitkus picked up the phone and called the engine room.

Assistant Chief Engineer Joseph Barnum answered. "Engine room. This is Barnum."

"This is the captain. Do your fire-control and detection systems show any indication of a fire anywhere on the ship?"

"One moment." Barnum turned and peered at a large panel. "No, sir, I've got green lights across the board. No indication of a fire on this end."

"Stand by to activate your fire-control system manually," ordered Waitkus.

At that moment a crewman came running onto the bridge. He rushed up to Sheffield. "Sir, I thought you should know, I smelled smoke when I came around the port promenade deck."

Waitkus picked up the phone. "McFerrin?"

The second officer barely heard the phone buzz over the crackle of the fire. "What is it?" he snapped harshly.

"This is Captain Waitkus. You and Harding get out of the chapel. I'm going to close the steel fire doors and seal off the chapel."

"Make it fast, sir," said McFerrin loudly. "I fear the fire is about to burst through into the avenue."

Waitkus pressed the switch that would send the concealed fire doors around the chapel area, sealing it off. He stood bewildered when the activation light failed to illuminate. He called McFerrin again. "Have the fire doors closed?"

"No, sir. There is no movement."

"This is impossible," Waitkus muttered for the second time in the past two minutes. "I can't believe the entire system has shut down." He rang the engine room again. "Barnum," he barked, "use your manual override and close the fire doors around the chapel."

"Closing the fire door," Barnum acknowledged. Then, "My board shows no movement. I don't understand. The fire-door control system is not functioning."

"Damn!" Waitkus gasped. He gave a curt nod to Sheffield. "I'm going down to check out the situation for myself."

The first officer never saw the captain again. Waitkus entered the bridge elevator, rode down to A Deck and approached the wedding chapel from the side opposite the crew fighting the fire. Unthinkingly, unaware of the enormity of the danger, he jerked open the door behind the altar. A storm of flame burst through the doorway and engulfed him. Almost instantly, his lungs were seared and he was turned into a walking torch. He reeled backward and fell dead in a fireball before he struck the deck.