Day Five Hundred Eighty Two #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We raised our next port of call mid-afternoon. It sits on a bay on the central island of another archipelago.

Neither the robotic warship nor any other ship of the global authority questioned our entry.

Our passenger kept to himself. Elijah tried to draw him out on two occasions to limited success. He thinks Mr. Kagi is cowed by fear of the future.

We’ve been welcomed cordially by the port authorities. Our wait will be minimal before unloading commences.

There have been some unlooked for developments. They report that the robotic warship had been here and will be returning. A packet had been left for us containing payment for the materials we had left at the tsunami stricken island.

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Day Five Hundred Seventy Two #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We have arrived near our destination, but though the way in is clear, we won’t rush.

The Captain put us on our guard earlier this morning. When we had the whole archipelago in view, certain areas glowed brightly in the dark. Very ominous.

The largest island and home to our next port of call looked normal.

We were still the only vessel plying the waters. On our first peek into the harbor, we could see several ships moored at the docks.  And no signs of activity.

The Captain ordered the anchor down in the roads. He wants to wait to see if a pilot boat comes out. He’ll send Tomas in tomorrow.

Elijah and I want to accompany him ashore.

Day Five Hundred Seventy One #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

It has taken awhile to sink in. We’ve all been thinking about it since we heard Elijah’s pronouncement. All the more so as we are a day away from our last port of call.

What will it mean to come to the end of our voyage? Will we all scatter? Will the Captain sell his ship? And if that were indeed his decision, would he even be able to sell it without the mark?

What will come next?

All I know is that a great darkness awaits.

Elijah has shared what he knows, but he has not shared what he has seen in visions.

I am confident that will come. Perhaps it will fall to me to give the interpretation.

Day Five Hundred Sixty Nine #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Elijah agreed with the Captain’s decision to avoid the next port of call.

We were surprised that these were the first words out of his mouth upon emerging from the special cabin. For he had held up in there for the past two days.

He then added cryptically that this port will be the end of the voyage. For everyone.

The Captain began to protest. And stated that the end was always supposed to be on the tropical islands at the center of this immense ocean.

To this Elijah answered that the people awaiting the shipments were no longer there. All the inhabitants had been removed forcibly on Stan’s orders. He now holds the islands as his personal possession and retreat.

Day Five Hundred Fifty Four #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

As the Captain foretold, we indeed did arrive at our next port of call today. But not to an empty harbor as I had predicted. There was one lone container ship moored to the sea wall as we passed by.

This port is situated at the mouth of a great, broad river. And our assigned berth was further up this river.

While Tomas and P met with the port authorities, the rest of us saw to other tasks. Elijah and I went ashore to discover and weigh the best options for setting the Hamashiachite contingent upon their path.

The Captain took it upon himself to traverse the city to the sea wall to pay a call on that other ship.

Day Five Hundred Fifty Three #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

The Captain says we will arrive at our next port of call sometime tomorrow. The number of ships passing by has dwindled to a trickle. It’s odd that none of them were curious about our non compliance to the orders of the world government.

One indeed did hail us via the satellite radio, but broke off the connection the minute the Captain proclaimed our non mark status.

When I related this to Elijah, he commented that they are being called in to solidify intolerance against those not bearing the mark. And Tomas piped up that they will most likely be supplied with satellite radios to tie them into the world system, thereby going a long way to its desired goal.

Day Five Hundred Fifty Two #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Whereas we passed no vessels yesterday, today was markedly different.  I don’t think we had the ocean to ourselves a single minute. By the time we reach our next port of call, I will be surprised if we don’t have it all to ourselves.

Elijah commented upon my stated apprehensions of yesterday. He knew that that dark cloud on my visage would dissipate as soon as I entered the special place. And I admit the second the door closed behind me a great weight lifted.

So, why didn’t he recommend that course of action to begin with? The better to learn the lesson again?

He only smiles.

The Captain and Tomas were in better spirits today.

Was it just me?

Day Four Hundred Seventy Nine #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We should arrive at the next port of call sometime in the early morning. Plenty of time to prepare my lists. Or add to the one I had put together already.

In any case, I’ve been instructed to offload the containers due at the port we could not enter. The Captain reasons that someone who can claim them, may be at this “neighboring” port.

I’ve not seen Elijah all day. And Tomas repeated the same observation to me when he dropped in after dinner. He helped me plot a way to bring up the mystery container before making a search for our elusive friend.

Afterwards I swung by the special cabin. No Elijah.

I refreshed my soul before turning in.

Day Four Hundred Seventy Six #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Tomas has relieved me from all watch duty. The danger from pirates has past. Though we still exert caution not to call undue attention to ourselves from the patrolling naval vessels which seem to be everywhere.

The Captain estimates that we are three days out from our next port of call. Therefore he asked me to prepare the list of containers that will be offloaded there.

In the process I discovered a listing for a container with no destination information on its original paper work. I queried Tomas about this. He told me he had discovered the same anomaly when he was filling in as purser, but hadn’t had any time to investigate.

I put it first on my list.

Day Four Hundred Seventy Four #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Patrol boats have stopped us twice and sent us on our way. Both were satisfied with our paper work and seemed even less curious when they learned our port of call was not to be the capital, but a port hundreds of miles from here.

I suppose if we were headed to the capital we would have come under closer scrutiny.
One of the officers was curious about the shortage of people bearing the mark among us. They boasted that this definitely will be the last voyage for the ship under those circumstances. Elijah kept to the special cabin whenever officials were aboard. Each time the Captain was relieved when he did so without being asked.

And so it goes.