—" There " have " been " other " similar " alarms,"—" the " Birst " ofBicial " Charles " Morphy " added," joining " in " the " conversation "—" but " then " nothing " happened "…
Charles " Morphy " was " younger " than " the " other " two," but " not " lean." He " had " started " his " career " at " sea " from " ordinary " seaman." He " made " a " very " fast " career," because " he " was " twentyZone " years " old " when " he " moved " up " to " 2nd " deck " ofBicer " on " a " Panamanian " cargo " ship." A " few " years " later," he " arrived " First " OfBicer " aboard " the " Silver ' Star.
—" But " Chiao " is " positive:" it " will " happen "—" Captain " Jim " went " on " saying."—" I " read " it " on " his " face " and " he " might " be " right.
Dr " Chiao " Chuang " was " a " geologist " of " the " Institute " of " Geophysics " of " Taiwan " who " worked " at " the " Seismological " Observation " Center " in " Taipei," a " seismological " research " centre." He " had " met " with " Captain " James " Ferguson " just " the " previous " evening." Chiao " was " born " in " Taiwan," was " 57 " years " old," short," round " and " funny " face," almondZshaped " eyes," grey " hair " and " wore " glasses." He " had " graduated " in " geological " engineering " in " his " native " country " in " 1978," specializing " in " Geology " at " the " University " of " London." Chiao " and " Captain " Jim " had " become " good " friends," since " they " had " known " and " esteemed " each " other " for " years;" they " met " often," not " always " in " Taiwan," having " been " involved " with " meetings," dinners " and " parties " in " various " Asian " cities:" Singapore," Kuala " Lumpur," Jakarta," Tutong," Hong " Kong " and " more.
At " that " moment," as " in " a " Blashback," Captain " Jim " saw " the " meeting " with " his " friend " Chiao," which " had " taken " place " in " a " restaurant " in " Taipei " a " few " hours " before " the " departure " of " the " Silver ' Star.
—" Jim,"—" Chiao " said " to " him " at " a " certain " time " of " the " dinner," in " front " of " a " huge " dish " of " big " crabs " sautée " in " pepper," the " captain " was " greedy " of "—" I " would " have " told " you " anyway "…" I ' m " worried.
—" I " can " see " it "—" Captain " Jim " responded."—" Your " face," tonight," is " black " instead " of " yellow.
—" And " for " a " good " reason!" Now " I " have " decided " to " warn " all " the " vessels " operating " in " this " area." It " is " better " to " run " the " risk " of " raising " an " unnecessary " alarm," rather " than " pretend " nothing " has " happened.—" Why?" What " is " the " problem?—" An " earthquake," Jim "…" a " devastating " earthquake " that " may " happen " very " soon " in " the " Philippines " Sea," here " near " us!—" An " earthquake?" But …" are " you " sure?—" Nobody " can " be " sure " of " it." But " the " clues " are " all " there." You " know " we " constantly " monitor " the " seismic " situation " of " these " seas," which " are " always " at " risk." And " they " aren’ t " taken " under " control " only " in " Taipei." There " are " many " other " seismological " centres," and " all " of " whom " we " have " exchange " of " information.
—" Of " course "…" but," why " do " you " say " this?