Goliath

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

It is with great pride and appreciation that I acknowledge those who contributed to the completion of Goliath.

First and foremost, to my literary manager, Ken Atchity, and his team at Atchity Editorial/Entertainment International for their hard work and perseverance, as well as Danny Baror of Baror International. Kudos to Tom Doherty and the great people at Tor/Forge Books, especially editor Bob Gleason, for his faith, wonderful input, and direction, to Heather Drucker in publicity, and tireless Brian Callaghan, for all his assistance and suggestions.

Special thanks to copyeditors Bob and Sara Schwager, and to Brett Bartlett, who helped inspire parts of the novel.

Heartfelt appreciation to my Goliath team—all readers of my previous books whose own expertise contributed to the authenticity of the novel. Dr. Elizabeth Goode of the University of Delaware; Professor Barry Perlman, Physics Department, Broward Community College; Jim Kennedy, corrections officer, Northern Super-Maximum Correctional Institution in Somers, Connecticut; Dean Garner, United States Army Airborne Ranger; “Interstellar Bill” Parkyn; and Bill Raby, parachutist-extreme. Thank you all for your terrific contributions.

Thanks also to Robert Marlin (Marlin Interactive Design) for creating the www.SteveAlten.com Web site and enhancing the reading experience for my fans, as well as Bill and Lori McDonald of Argonaut-Grey Wolf Productions /Website: www.AlienUFOart.com, who brought to life the Goliath and Hammerhead minisub drawings found in this novel. I am indeed fortunate to have such talented fans.

Most important, a very special thanks to Ken Walker. Bravo Zulu.

Several of the documented quotes used in Goliath can be found in Criminal Quotes, edited by Andrew Chester and H. Amanda Robb, published by Visible Ink Press, a division of Gale Research (1997).

To my wife and partner, Kim, for all her support, and last—to my readers: Thank you for your correspondence and contributions. Your comments are always a welcome treat, your input means so much, and you remain this author’s greatest asset.

—Steve Alten

To personally contact the author or learn more about his novels, click on www.SteveAlten.com

Goliath is part of Steve Alten’s ADOPT-AN-AUTHOR Program aimed at assisting junior high and high school students and teachers. For more information, click on www.SteveAlten.com

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

—Reinhold Niebuhr

EPILOGUE

An Open Communication To The World:

I have opened your eyes to Insanity. The insanity of nuclear war.

The insanity of terrorism and oppression. The insanity of hatred.

The insanity of injustice. Now it is time to end the insanity.

There will be no more nuclear strikes, no more attacks. The

Goliath shall serve as God’s tool to ensure the peace, but you

must be Freedom’s Guardians.

The Tower of Babel has been destroyed. Now it is time to rebuild.

What rises in its place must stand as a symbol of our unity.

One species. Under God. Indivisible.

With Liberty and Justice for all.

—Simon Bela Covah

State College, Pennsylvania

Still entrenched in the long, grayness of winter, the campus of Penn State University sleeps beneath a fresh blanket of March snow.

Gunnar and Rocky exit the Penn State Diner, joining the students and townspeople sloshing their way down College Avenue.

“You sure you feel like walking?” Rocky asks. “Your leg has to be getting pretty sore.”

“It needs the exercise.” He switches his cane to the other hand and pulls her closer, leaning on her. “You sure you want to marry me?”

“I’m getting there.” She kisses him, then bites playfully on his lower lip. “Come on, gimp, I need a few things at the Quickie Mart.”

They enter the corner convenience store. Rocky heads down an aisle, leaving Gunnar to peruse the highlights of the morning paper.

GOLIATH SIGHTED OFF THE COAST OF FRANCE

(AP) Normandy: Hundreds of shocked spectators lined the beaches and cliff faces along Normandy as the freedom ship, Goliath, made its first public appearance since the signing of the Nuclear Disarmament Treaty two days ago. The submarine, responsible for the deaths of four million, two hundred thousand people, circled twice to a standing ovation before disappearing into the depths.

KOSOVO CELEBRATES INDEPENDENCE

(UPI) Ethnic Albanians rejoiced yesterday in celebration of Kosovo’s newfound independence, one of the demands made in the Declaration of Humanity. The new government immediately vowed to continue its dialogue with Yugoslavian officials over free trade and human rights issues.

GOLIATH ISSUES NEW LIST OF DEMANDS

(N. Y.) U.N. officials will meet again today to discuss the latest additions to Simon Covah’s Declaration of Humanity, which were broadcast last week via satellite from somewhere in the North Atlantic. Arriving today from Bogota are Colombia officials and guerrilla leaders who hope to resolve their differences concerning drug trafficking and human rights issues before heavily armed U.N. forces are forced to enter the war-torn country. Peace commissioner Kenneth Dale declared that, “as in Mexico, it would be best if both the drug lords and corrupt officials simply decided to leave Colombia as quickly as possible.”

Meanwhile, NRA officials are in an uproar concerning Simon Covah’s latest demands regarding the abolition of assault weapons in the United States as well as the complete cessation of all international gun trade to Africa. One