know, I'm still in that damned hospital bed and this is all some kind of hallucination.” Folger's eyes swept the deck, making sure that preparations to depart were continuing.
"I hate to say this, but I'm not sure you aren't in that bed—but I don't think you're hallucinating. Somehow this is real—a reality that's somehow physical and not physical. Don't ask me how I know, or even how it works.” Coffin turned around and surveyed the deck himself. He was on a whaling ship, like the type that used to sail out of Nantucket. He noted that there were three masts, with square sails on the fore and main masts, and fore-and-aft-rigged sails on the mizzenmast. Five whaleboats were secured to the ship. Judging as best he could, he guessed the ship was something around 125-feet long: a whale bark with a crew of 30-40, then. With a deep breath, Coffin looked at the first mate. “So, how do we know we'll get where we want to go?"
Folger smiled and looked over his shoulder, indicating a woman talking to a man at the helm. “You see that—our navigator is Kumiko Meiji. Remember? She came to Nantucket just to sail with you on the Clio II ."
"That's right,” said Coffin, nodding approvingly. “I haven't seen her since she was a teenager. She was one of the few kids I'd let steer the old ship. She wanted to be a cartographer, didn't she? I seem to recall that she went off to work for TransGalactic Corporation.” Coffin looked at Folger. “Are all of us Islanders, or associated with the Island?"
Folger shook his head. “I don't think so. It's just the three of us, as far as I can tell."
"Strange, though. How do you suppose we all ended up commanding this ship?"
Folger shrugged. “You of all people questioning why Nantucketers are the most qualified sailors. I'm surprised at you, Samuel."
Samuel Coffin straightened with mock indignation. “I'll remind you to address me as Captain Coffin."
"Aye aye, sir,” boomed Folger. The two men laughed. Looking around, Folger nodded satisfaction. The anchor was up and the ship was moving, seemingly carried by the wind. Folger and Coffin stepped to the deck railing and watched as the wind lifted the ship up and out of the water. They were moving skyward. “So,” said Folger. “What do we name the ship? Clio III?"
Coffin's eyebrows came together, thoughtfully. “No, I think Pequod would be more appropriate,” he said, watching water flow from the sides of the ship. He could see Nantucket in the distance, growing smaller. The ship passed through a misty veil of clouds and the island disappeared from view.
"You aren't thinking of seeking revenge, are you?” asked Folger.
"No, but I think our souls may be at stake on this voyage, Mr. Folger. Somehow, I think we may be just as doomed as the men of Ahab's ship.” The sky began to grow dark as the atmosphere around the ship thinned. There was still plenty of air to breathe on the ship's deck as stars appeared. Below the ship, Coffin could see the curve of the Earth, and the oceans and continents. As they continued, he began to make out cloud-shrouded continents and blue oceans. The Earth was a ball receding in the distance. Looking ahead, Coffin saw the bulge of the galaxy, bright and sparkling on the edges, obscured by black clouds of dust in the center. He nodded satisfaction. “Steady as she goes, Mr. Folger."
"Steady as she goes,” echoed the mate.
[Back to Table of Contents]
Part II: Tribulation
"And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, and cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What city is like unto this great city?’”
Revelation 18: 17-18
[Back to Table of Contents]
ASCENSION
After breakfast and a nap, John Mark Ellis rode the lift to the command deck of the TransGalactic Mapping Vessel Sanson. Once there, he stepped out and surveyed the deck. The shipyard was supervising most of the repair activities. With little
"I hate to say this, but I'm not sure you aren't in that bed—but I don't think you're hallucinating. Somehow this is real—a reality that's somehow physical and not physical. Don't ask me how I know, or even how it works.” Coffin turned around and surveyed the deck himself. He was on a whaling ship, like the type that used to sail out of Nantucket. He noted that there were three masts, with square sails on the fore and main masts, and fore-and-aft-rigged sails on the mizzenmast. Five whaleboats were secured to the ship. Judging as best he could, he guessed the ship was something around 125-feet long: a whale bark with a crew of 30-40, then. With a deep breath, Coffin looked at the first mate. “So, how do we know we'll get where we want to go?"
Folger smiled and looked over his shoulder, indicating a woman talking to a man at the helm. “You see that—our navigator is Kumiko Meiji. Remember? She came to Nantucket just to sail with you on the Clio II ."
"That's right,” said Coffin, nodding approvingly. “I haven't seen her since she was a teenager. She was one of the few kids I'd let steer the old ship. She wanted to be a cartographer, didn't she? I seem to recall that she went off to work for TransGalactic Corporation.” Coffin looked at Folger. “Are all of us Islanders, or associated with the Island?"
Folger shook his head. “I don't think so. It's just the three of us, as far as I can tell."
"Strange, though. How do you suppose we all ended up commanding this ship?"
Folger shrugged. “You of all people questioning why Nantucketers are the most qualified sailors. I'm surprised at you, Samuel."
Samuel Coffin straightened with mock indignation. “I'll remind you to address me as Captain Coffin."
"Aye aye, sir,” boomed Folger. The two men laughed. Looking around, Folger nodded satisfaction. The anchor was up and the ship was moving, seemingly carried by the wind. Folger and Coffin stepped to the deck railing and watched as the wind lifted the ship up and out of the water. They were moving skyward. “So,” said Folger. “What do we name the ship? Clio III?"
Coffin's eyebrows came together, thoughtfully. “No, I think Pequod would be more appropriate,” he said, watching water flow from the sides of the ship. He could see Nantucket in the distance, growing smaller. The ship passed through a misty veil of clouds and the island disappeared from view.
"You aren't thinking of seeking revenge, are you?” asked Folger.
"No, but I think our souls may be at stake on this voyage, Mr. Folger. Somehow, I think we may be just as doomed as the men of Ahab's ship.” The sky began to grow dark as the atmosphere around the ship thinned. There was still plenty of air to breathe on the ship's deck as stars appeared. Below the ship, Coffin could see the curve of the Earth, and the oceans and continents. As they continued, he began to make out cloud-shrouded continents and blue oceans. The Earth was a ball receding in the distance. Looking ahead, Coffin saw the bulge of the galaxy, bright and sparkling on the edges, obscured by black clouds of dust in the center. He nodded satisfaction. “Steady as she goes, Mr. Folger."
"Steady as she goes,” echoed the mate.
[Back to Table of Contents]
Part II: Tribulation
"And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, and cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What city is like unto this great city?’”
Revelation 18: 17-18
[Back to Table of Contents]
ASCENSION
After breakfast and a nap, John Mark Ellis rode the lift to the command deck of the TransGalactic Mapping Vessel Sanson. Once there, he stepped out and surveyed the deck. The shipyard was supervising most of the repair activities. With little
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