Day One Thousand Seventy Nine #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Mei hobnobbed with the rest of the unit as they buttoned up their operation and prepared to return to the army of the East. We discussed our returning with them, but Lung advised against that course of action. He was certain Mei would be tried for desertion and executed.

That meant we had to find another way to get to the Supreme Commander and another of our mission’s goals. At the least we had a better idea as to where to look.

Elam gleaned more details about Stan’s wound from the tanker truck driver. It was a severe head wound by all accounts. No one thinks he can survive.

When told, Elijah merely nodded and added, “But he will recover.”

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Day Seven Hundred Forty Five #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Waited all day for an opportunity to talk to Tomas alone. I would have accompanied him on one of his jaunts, but didn’t want to leave Elijah and the Captain without my support. Lung has been outwardly calm, yet I can tell agitation is festering just below the surface. Every step is taking us further and further away from his unit. If only he would talk to Elijah again. Lung has been avoiding him ever since the glacier.

Thankfully, Tomas brought word of another path branching off this one. He is certain it will take Lung back down. If not to the lake, at least to the desert.

I also decided to put off my talk with Tomas until tomorrow.

Day Seven Hundred Forty Three #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We finally relented, and allowed Lung to go back down the trail, accompanied by Tomas. They reported that the trail was washed out by the force of the water from the glacier.  And that a huge chunk of the glacier had cascaded down to a lower elevation.

Still, Lung desires to get back to his unit with this intelligence. And to see if any of the runoff has made its way down to the lake.

Elijah advised him to continue on with us until another way down can be found.

At the same time, Mei let it be known that she does not want to return.

This caught Lung completely by surprise.

We put further discussion aside and continued on.

Day Seven Hundred Thirty Three #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

At the least we were not taken down to the chamber to be locked up again. The unit attached to the tanker truck held no interest about the dam other than their immediate security.

Once its commander had his mission underway, the collection of water from the lake, he finally deigned to speak to us.

Tomas had been insistent with anyone within earshot until cuffed into silence by one of our guards.

So he was gratified at last to have the chance to request a communication with the Supreme Commander.

The unit commander was at first skeptical and almost dismissed his request out of hand.  That is until Tomas pressed him with the emergency code word.

The message was sent.

Day Seven Hundred Nine #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

It took quite some time to clear away the obstructions. An engineering unit was brought up for the heavy lifting to that end. Until they arrived the leaders of this unit set down the best path for the endeavor.

This left us with a lot of free time. Elijah suggested that we all fast. We agreed.

Our non-eating went unnoticed among our army companions until our absence at evening mess.

It created no little stir.

We were each interrogated about what we were not doing. Something about this behavior unsettled them, making them very suspicious. And in a way I believe they somehow intuited the power that lies behind it.

I finally convinced them they had nothing to fear.

Day Five Hundred Seventy Eight #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

The port has been a study in contrasts today. All the other ships were abuzz with activity, while ours was just sitting by the dock, waiting.

Waiting for the Captain and P to return. (If they return at all). Waiting for news of what comes next.

Small boats were plying the waters constantly between the warship and the shore. We spotted one unit coming in that we were sure will be paying visits to the shrines of the city, claiming them in Stan’s name.

At one point Tomas was called for. He brought back word of the Captain’s imminent return, and a suggestion that we depart.

Neither Elijah nor myself sense that our time aboard has come to an end.