Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 The Rift Adventure By Donna Z.  [donnaz33 at yahoo.com]

   Hi, this is Donna Z., welcome to my new story.  I have kicked around
this idea for awhile and it's time to get it out.  As usual, if you are not
old enough to be at this site and reading this story, or do not like
lesbian themes and happiness, then please leave.  This story is copywrite
to me, Donna Z.  2008 please do not steal this story.

   Story elements: F/F; rom; sci-fantasy; adventure; war; oral; anal; mild
fetish play.

   This story will be done in parts.  Chapter one contains no sex, be
patient that activity comes later.

   Introduction: this is part of a new series which I will call, "The Marin
Series Stories." My partner and I have agreed that my early work did not
really capture the inner emotions of a lesbian affair, but dealt with the
sexual aspects at the expense of the strength of those same emotional
aspects.  Now, make no mistake about it, the sexual side of lesbianism is
good to say the least.  But there is much more to it than that, and in this
story which is sweeping and in chapters I will try to convey the intense
inner feelings that a strongly bonded lesbian affair can have in the form
of a fantasy adventure story with science-fantasy like elements to it.
Foreword: have you ever thought what it would be like to get away
completely, right down to trading places with someone else who lives far
away?  Gwen Wills and Helene Tyler live different lives in very different
places, but they will soon have a powerful connection.  It all started with
a dream...

   Chapter One

   It was an oppressively hot and muggy Nebraska night that followed a day
that had been filled with blazing sunshine, and incredible humidity.  But
now in the quiet evening, it was just plainly unbearable.  Heat lightning
flashed in the sky, the intricate patterns blazing and flickering.  The
storm was nearby but tracking easterly and was south of the little farm.

   Gwen Wills wondered what the storm must be like for the people to the
south as she looked out the kitchen window.  Yet, there wasn't a hint of a
breeze, and not a drop of rain falling at her house, but somewhere someone
was getting a fierce storm.

   Yet out the north window, the sky looked to be clear, with just a light
haze from the humidity.  The aurora blazed and rippled on the northern
horizon.  The cause was a much larger than usual series of solar storms
wrapping the earth in a blanket of highly charged ions that disrupted
everything it seemed.  "That ain't a good sign," said her father, "It's
going to be a tough winter," he continued as he looked over his daughter's
shoulder.

   Gwen simply nodded and was inclined to believe him.  She had seen him
look at the sky and predict rain when everyone else said it would be nice,
and he had been right and more than once too.

   "I think I'll turn in early, dad.  I sure don't want to go outside into
that." Gwen said in a soft, but flat voice.

   She loved her father.  He was the rock in her life, strong, patient, and
smarter than most people would suspect.

   "I don't blame you." He said in a pleasant voice.

   Radios crackled and popped, and the Television reception was lousy from
both lightning and solar activity, and soon the cable was knocked out.  The
weather had been weird, the sun was stormy, and the late summer `dog days'
were shaping up to be a hot, sticky and uncomfortable ones.  Finally, the
electricity itself started to act up.

   For 17 year old Gwen Wills, the heat of the night was outside, and it
was too miserable to want to go out.  There was little to do, and her
household chores were caught up.  But the young woman also looked out the
west window.  West, towards the far horizon that was away from this house.
Wanderlust gripped Gwen more and more.

   She yearned to be able to get away, to get anywhere as long as it was
far away, but she had a year to go in high school.  Gwen both loved and
liked her parents well enough, and life on the farm hadn't been too bad. 
She was torn between her love of home and family and the reality that she
was growing up.  The area was nice and there were some things you could do.
But Gwen wanted more, and the waiting was hard to bear.  "So in a hurry to
grow up, aren't you?" her mother would say, "So in a hurry to get kicked
from pillar to post, don't be in such a hurry Gwen."

   A quick shower was refreshing and the cascading water felt good.  The
drying off and all the little rituals she did before going to bed left Gwen
feeling pretty good and finally she was ready to turn in; she said good
night to the folks and made her way to her room.  Thankfully, the
electricity had settled down and the air conditioner was working again. 
Gwen gave thanks aloud as she fell onto the mattress, and got under the
covers.

   The bed seemed comfortable in spite of the humidity and Gwen thought
about somewhere far away, like Arizona and her cousin Kathy, but sleep came
quickly for the attractive young woman with stylishly short dark brown
hair. It was a deep, restful, peaceful sleep.

   Then the dream started.  Gwen was rafting down the Colorado River with
her aunt, uncle and Kathy.  She could feel the water splash, the jostle and
bumping of the raft as they made their way through the rapids.  What a
ride.

   Suddenly Gwen felt uncomfortable, like she was laying on rocks, and upon
awakening she found she was in a desert setting.

   "It must be a dream." She thought to herself.  But, it felt all too
real. The heat, the rocks and sand, all of it felt like actually being in a
desert.  "I was in bed in pajamas, and now I'm in Arizona or something. 
Where the hell am I?" She wondered.

   Gwen looked around at the desert emptiness and decided that she better
start moving.  But moving to where?  There seemed to be nothing out there.

   Gwen started walking, following the easiest route away from her
location, heading for a mountain in the distance.  Trudging on, the
mountain didn't seem to be getting any closer.  Hours passed it seemed like
and though she was getting tired, Gwen continued on, not sure of where she
was going.

   Suddenly she heard a voice say "Hello there." Gwen about jumped out of
her skin from being startled.

   She turned to see a wizened and very old man dressed in a simple white
robe.

   "Who are you?" Gwen asked, frightened.

   "You can call me, Eddie, if you like." The old man said in a friendly,
lively kind of voice with a smile, and with an accent that sounded New York
like.

   "Where am I?" Gwen asked with growing fright.

   "You are in an unusual place.  You can call it a filter of sorts." Eddie
said.

   "A filter, what do you mean a filter?" Gwen asked with concern.

   "Filters trap things that don't belong in places, and you don't belong
here.  My job is to make sure that beings like you get to where they belong
and don't stay trapped here.  It's a full time job, and lately there has
been lots of work." Eddie replied in a funny way.

   "This is a desert." Gwen said flatly.

   "No it isn't, you just think it is." Eddie said.  "Turn around and see
what I mean." He continued.

   Gwen reluctantly turned to see a stream running in a woodland setting.

   There was Eddie, right in front of her again.  Then Gwen looked over her
shoulder and now saw a mountain setting with snow and pine trees.  "How is
this possible?  What the hell is going on?" Gwen said in alarm.

   "You are having a sort of dream, but it is far more than a dream, it is
an `out-of-the-body' experience.  Don't be alarmed you are not dead yet.  I
will explain if you let me.  But first, let's go and sit down, shall we?"
Eddie said.

   Sure enough, there were two chairs in the midst of this mountain
woodland scene that weren't there a moment before.

   "Come sit down please, I don't bite." Eddie said in a gentle, reassuring
tone.

   Apprehensive, Gwen sat in the chair which felt unusually comfortable.

   "OK Eddie, what's going on?" Gwen asked again.

   "Listen closely Gwen, or at least that is you latest name.  You are in a
coma in the hospital right now.  Your parents went to wake you and
couldn't. So, they called the paramedics and you are being evaluated for
what caused you to slip into this comatose state as we speak.

   Out-of-the-body type dreams are common enough and related to the
fundamental human condition.  Many of the most vivid of these sorts of
dreams occur in intimate or exciting settings.  You yourself have had a few
of them and they were alarming to you at first weren't they?" Eddie said as
visions of powerful dreams swept through Gwen's head.

   It was true, those dreams had been powerful, and Gwen had to agree with
the old man.

   Eddie continued, "The problem tonight was caused by an interaction of
solar radiation and Earth magnetic radiation upon your electrochemical
energy field.  You feel your body here because you are not dead yet.  If
you were dead, you would not feel your body nor remember those powerful
dreams in the manner that you do.  But you do remember your body, and do
have memory of dreams and family and that is a problem here.  My job is to
undo this problem; however it is not going to be so easy for you to get
back due to the intense solar storm going on which may be raging for quite
some time to come.  You are safer over here than in traveling back.  But,
there is another problem, you can't stay here, and your very presence
disrupts this place if you do.  I have to find a temporary assignment for
you, but I think I have a good one.  So, let me review here for you.  You
were having a dream about Arizona I believe, and were having an
out-of-the-body experience with your cousin I think her name is, Kathy,
while riding a raft down a river; sounds exciting to me.  A disturbance in
Earth's magnetic fields and a big solar radiation blast sent you into a
dimensional rift and you stopped here.  This is not uncommon and is usually
quickly resolved.  However tonight, the storm and disturbance won't let you
get back.  You are 90 percent "dead" per se, and your body is simply
running on low power and can do so for a very long time.  You are in a
coma, but 90 percent of your energy force is here, so you still feel your
body, and remember your life in a way living people remember life, but you
can't stay here, so I have a deal for you.  As we speak you are feeling a
separation between the Gwen that your body is named and the life force
within you which is not what you think it is, and are realizing that bodies
are tools, or vessels, or housing if you prefer for the spirit that
animates you.  It's symbiotic, the life force needs a body, and the body
needs a life force."

   Gwen listened, astonished by what she heard and what she saw presented
before her.  Eddie knew every detail of her life, right down to right down
to the most intimate thoughts and emotions.

   "...I also know that you want to get out of your home and grow up a
little.  You love your parents and appreciate all they have done, and that
is a good thing, but you are growing beyond them, and you know it too.  You
look at the horizon wondering what is beyond your view.  I think I can help
if you let me.  Just hear me out here." The old man said.

   "I can send you to a place much like your Earth as it is now give or
take a few years, complete with all of the same countries except three, a
big island group in the south central Pacific, known as the Robertson
Islands, and then there's an island south of Iceland, and another island
off the east coast of Africa, much like Madagascar." Eddie said as he
showed Gwen panoramic visions of other worlds and planets.

   "The idea of "Earth" per se'," Eddie continued, "is one of
experimentation.  There are at least five Earths, maybe six now where the
ideas and plans of the higher ones get tested out in real time scenarios.
All of these `Earths' have very similar development cycles, and many
situations that are identical.  But, some events are allowed to play out in
different ways in slightly different time frames."

   "Here, let me show you." Eddie said.

   A large vision appeared before Gwen, and Eddie explained how the various
worlds differed, but were the same.

   Gwen was fascinated by what Eddie was saying and showing her.

   "So, in a manner of speaking, I am like a `travel agent' for entities,
as well as a `repairman' for misplaced beings, and something of a `traffic
cop' too.  I like my work, and work has been busy with the solar storms
around your earth.  I will have at least 5 more lost beings to send home or
find shelter for.  So let's get you moving here.  Here's the deal; you are
going to be a very attractive mixed race child in a city called Baltimore.
The year will be 1937 and your family is in desperate financial straits and
the present owner of the body you will take over wants out due to her
family wanting to sell her into prostitution.  I have tried repeatedly to
have her stow away aboard a Robertson Islands freighter and get out of
there, but the girl will not leave for family reasons even though no one in
the family really cares at all about her.  She is contemplating running
away, but has nowhere to run to, in a word, she's trapped.  If you will
take over this beautiful girl, you need to get out of that place as fast as
you can and onto a Robertson Islands freighter.  You will go to the islands
and stay there and become as one of them, and when the time comes for you
to return to your present body you can if you want to, or your body will be
given to the poor soul you are displacing and you can stay there, it will
be up to you, but I think you will really like this new life.  This lovely
young woman has the same problems that you do, and please do not try to
hide that from me, for I can see it easily.  You can prevent a ruined life
and the problems that would befall that poor being.  The disruption will
even out and all will return to normal.  What do you say?

   Gwen thought for a moment, Eddie seemed to know every detail about her
life right down to the most intimate secrets.  All during his talk he had
shown her panoramic visions of the places, people and situations of this
Helene's life.  Who was this old man?

   "Are you God?  You seem to know everything about me, and where are the
Robertson Islands?" Gwen asked.

   "Heaven forbid!  I'm just a worker here.  I like my work too.  But in
this line of work you can see things pretty clearly, that's one of the good
points about this job.  Oh, and I'll tell you about the islands shortly."
Eddie said.

   The images of a tropical island paradise sprawling across the Pacific
flashed before her.  It was beautiful!

   Gwen was left a bit troubled by one thing and asked, "Eddie, if I am
going to fill a body somewhere else, where does that soul go?  If there is
no way for that one to get to my body, and if I am 90% dead, how will the
remaining 10% get caught up with me?  Also, am I going to die, because, I
don't want to hurt my parents?"

   "Ahh, an analytical mind, I like that." The old man said, continuing,
"If you occupy her body there, she becomes as a dead person, completely
disembodied.  When disembodied, I can move her into your old body for when
you occupy that other body; you will die in your given body and be freed.
Literally, you will forget that you were Gwen and yet you will carry a
wealth of experience and knowledge of sorts with you.  The missing 10% will
quickly catch up with you in less than a second's time, and in spite of the
radiation and magnetic disturbances I can place her in your body very, very
quickly, for she has no electrochemical field to be disrupted until she
gets into a body.  You are only 90% here, thus you are subject to the solar
and magnetic radiation because a part of you is still in your body, and
getting you back under these conditions is dangerous right now.  Gwen, you
have yearned for adventure beyond the horizon since you were a little
child. I am offering you that chance to have that adventure and more, and
asking for your help in saving a poor being from a forced reassignment and
life that was not what she deserved at all.  To be honest, she was
misplaced, it doesn't happen very often, but it does happen, and you can
help, because you are misplaced too.  Think about it, you don't want the
life that is planned out for you, the married homebody life in an
out-of-the-way place.  The woman you will take over wants the simple
married life in spite of her personal troubles.  It is an incredible stroke
of luck here; two lives are connected and corrected.  You can do something
great here." Eddie's voice was reassuring.  He continued to show images of
the islands, and of Helene, the other girl.

   As images of the other girl swirled before her, Gwen repeatedly saw
visions of a freighter at the docks that flashed over and over; Gwen was
intrigued by this and asked, "Why 1937?"

   Eddie replied, "Time occurs on a curve, and the curve to that reality
dimension falls in the year of 1937.

   How many dimensions are there?  Gwen asked astonished.

   "Oh several million exist, but it is easy enough to keep track of.  Now,
let's talk about your problem.  You are a sturdy and experienced sort of
soul that has had many lives; I think the life you will take over will be
very gratifying for you if you get out to the islands.  Remember, no one in
your new family can be trusted, not one of them and I mean not one, and you
must move very quickly to escape a life of ruin, ill health, and early
death.  If you accept this and wake up there, you will see why you must
flee.  Now as for the other being, don't worry she will be alright, and so
will your parents.  She will become you in that place, with your basic
memories and feelings.  Your parents will find this `new Gwen' a lot less
likely to want to escape out the west window.  She will become you and you
will become her." Eddie continued.

   "So what do you say, shall we be going?" Eddie asked.

   "Let's give it a try." Gwen replied, adding "This sounds incredible."

   "Here we go." Eddie said.

   Suddenly Gwen found herself not remembering her name but instead
recalling the name "Helene" and feeling a different body.  A strong, lively
body that felt tall.

   "You are here, open your eyes.  Remember, you have to get out of here
right away.  I'll be with you, don't worry.  Just get dressed, and I will
guide you." Eddie said.

   Gwen was now Helene; the name Gwen no longer had any meaning whatsoever.
The new Helene saw the small room with several other people in it sleeping,
a dingy, dirty, bad smelling room.  It was a summer evening and the room
had to be over 100 degrees.  Voices from the other side of the door sounded
black and drunken.  It was still light enough for Helene to see her clothes
and she quickly got dressed.

   Leaving the bedroom, she made her way to the apartment door and was
about to go down the hall to the toilet when her mother asked what she was
doing, and Helene told her she was going to the bathroom.

   At the end of the hall was a fire escape, and Helene clambered out onto
the stairway and she headed to the roof.  She ignored the others sitting on
the stairs and was quickly on top of the building.  Running across the
roof, she wanted to go down the other side, but on the street below was a
cousin of her step-father, he was a hoodlum named Darnell that Helene
couldn't stand.

   Suddenly she heard a voice from below that bellowed, "Get back down here
you little bitch or I`ll whup your ass but good, you hear!"

   It was her stepfather, a mean man given to drunkenness and crime.

   What to do?  "Trapped between the devil and the hoodlum, where do I go?"
Helene quickly thought.

   Suddenly the little voice said, "Over here Helene, go down this drain
pipe, it is plenty strong to hold you and I won't let you fall I swear.

   "Don't make me come up there after you, you little whore, you get your
ass down here now!" The dreaded voice boomed.

   Helene went over the side of the building and slid from joint to joint
of the heavy soil pipe drain.  Past the third floor, then the second floor
and then the first floor and then a short drop to the street, Helene
slithered down the pipe in terror of the evil man screaming at her.

   When she hit the sidewalk, Helene bolted down the street as fast as she
could run to the nearby waterfront.  In the distance she could hear her
father shouting something, but it no longer mattered.  She could see the
gate light to the docks and knew exactly how to get around the fence, and
once on the docks Helene scrambled from cargo pile to cargo pile until at
last she saw the ship!  There it was, it was becoming hard to remember
where she had seen the ship, but she knew that this was the one, the "NRMS
Sir Thomas Singh."

   There was a cop at the gangplank.  But, he looked to be sound asleep. 
Helene crept up slowly and as quietly as she could she made her way up the
gangplank and onto the deck.

   "May I help you?" An accented voice said.

   Helene spun around startled, coming face to face with a ship's officer.

   "I want to go to the Robertson Islands and be like them." Helene said,
filled with fright that the officer would put her off the ship.  He was
dark skinned but not a Negro, he was Indian.

   "Really, why do you want to go to the Robertson's?" The officer asked
quizically.

   "I think God told me to go there, go there or else!" Helene said still
frightened.

   "Really, well if God says you must go, then you shall go.  By the way,
my name is Gupta, Kim Gupta, you may call me Lieutenant Kim, I am the first
officer of this ship, I will take you to the Captain, and I think he has
been expecting someone like you."

   Helene followed Lieutenant Kim silently though she was bursting with
questions, yet still very afraid.

   Finally, they arrived at the Captains quarters, the first officer
knocked on the door and a voice said "enter."

   The Captain was an older man, balding with darker than Caucasian skin
but of a lighter complexion than Lieutenant Kim, who introduced Helene to
him.

   He rose and greeted Helene, "I am Gavin, Charles Gavin, the Captain of
this ship, the Sir Thomas Singh, a good ship out of Port Essex, Robertson
Islands.  I am pleased to meet you.  The Captain continued, "I saw you in a
vivid dream and knew you would be coming to us.  What is your name?"

   "Helene Tyler, sir." Helene replied.

   "I am pleased to meet you Helene.  But, right now I want you to go with
Lieutenant Kim and get settled in your quarters.  We have 5 other young
ladies joining us for the return voyage, you make it number six." The
Captain said in a pleasant voice.

   A crewman then came by and said, "Captain, the tide is turning, ship is
secure to get underway, engines and boilers are at the ready sir."

   "Excellent, replied the Captain, is the crew aboard Mr.  Kim?"

   "Yes Captain, all present and accounted for."

   "Prepare to cast off and when our men are aboard, raise the gangplank.
Young lady you must go to your quarters.  Go with Seaman Rao here, he knows
the way.  I will be glad to speak with you later." said the Captain. 
"Lieutenant Kim, come with me." Said the Captain as the two men made their
way to the bridge.

   Seaman Rao quietly led Helene to her cabin and she found she had a
roommate, but the roomie was sound asleep.  Just then a knock on the door
came and a pleasant looking woman stood there and said, "Are you Helene?"

   Helene answered yes and the woman explained that she was in charge of
the girls being transported to the islands, and said, "Helene would you
like a shower?"

   Helene answered yes, and the woman led her to a shower room.  The lady
was named Audrey, and was very friendly acting.  She added, "Would you like
some clean clothes?

   Helene jumped at the opportunity for clean things; she didn't care if it
was a ship's uniform dress, as long as it was clean.  The dress came with
clean cotton undies and a halter type bra, and white cotton stockings. 
Such things were a dream where she had grown up.

   The hot water felt good splashing on her body and the soap washed away
more than just grime and dirt, it was washing away the feelings of fear and
dread that she had felt the bad feelings and memories washed away down the
drain.  She washed her hair and was both surprised and ashamed at all of
the dirt that came out as she rinsed it clean.  She washed every inch of
herself.  Helene didn't want to get out of the shower.  But she did
eventually, and dried off with a clean Turkish towel.  She could not recall
ever feeling so clean.  Audrey had a good eye for fitting clothing, as the
items all fit pretty well.

   Audrey then took Helene to the doctor and she had powder sprinkled onto
her for delousing, and a brief physical exam.  Then Audrey took Helene to
"Stores" and had her issued undies, dresses, cotton stockings, and halter
top bras, soap, towels, washcloths, deodorant liquid, powder, and a razor
to shave her legs with extra blades, and a pair of Navy issue shoes that
fit well.  When Helene was fully dressed, she looked every inch the
Robertson Island female sailor.  Looking at herself in the mirror that was
in her cabin, she marveled at how only an hour before there was the image
of a dirty, frightened girl in that mirror and now there was a confident
young woman.

   In the mirror, Helene saw Gwen from before waving to her, and Eddie
smiling at her, nodding in approval at what he saw.  For that instant
Helene remembered everything from her past life.  But, when she looked
again, they were gone, and the memory of them was quickly gone too.

   Yet, Helene was a bit troubled by the vision and asked if she could go
up on the deck and Audrey let her, but came with her.

   Already they were some distance down the Chesapeake Bay, and the docks
were fading in the twilight and getting farther away.  Helene turned and
went forward and never really looked back.  She returned to her cabin, and
went to bed and soon fell asleep to the humming and noises of the ship.

   The next morning, Audrey awakened the girls for breakfast, and for
Helene the start of an unusually extensive series of forms, tests, and
paperwork.

   Helene's cabin mate was named Nancy, and the two of them hit it off
well. She was from the area around Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.  Like Helene,
she had had a calling to go to the Robertson's so she did, and so far she
didn't regret it.  They found they had several mutual interests including
needlepoint, sailing, reading, the radio, and a love of cats.

   The Sir Thomas Singh was a fast freighter and had made good speed out of
the Chesapeake during the night, and was already off the North Carolina
coast, and past Cape Hatteras.  Soon they were off the coast of Florida in
just two days, with the weather getting hotter every day.  Two days later,
the ship put in at Kingston, Jamaica to take on rum and spices, though they
had to wait for some time before docking.

   In less than 12 hours the ship was back underway.

   Along the way, work was found for the girls, and Helene was assigned to
the Yeoman keeping up with the logs and charts.  Her roommate Nancy worked
with the Boson's Mate, and spent her days mostly painting, a task she
actually liked.

   The others had a variety of jobs from clerking in Ship's Stores to
running messages from Communications.

   Helene got on well with the others who were all white and at first a bit
leery of the darker skinned Helene, though Helene was very light skinned by
black standards, less "yellow" than a sort of Mediterranean brown color,
Helene had Nordic facial features but a somewhat "African" body.  But as
the days passed along and the ship neared the Panama Canal, the race issue
had disappeared.  The girls had become friends, and these were the first
real friends Helene had ever had.  There were no games, no hustles, and no
crimes.  It was almost too real for Helene; trust did not come easily to
the attractive, very light skinned mixed race girl from Baltimore, but
gradually she began to trust Nancy and then the others.

   The crew was nice and seemed to work together like a good running
machine.  The girls felt comfortable around the crewmen and besides Audrey,
who was Third Officer on this ship insured she knew where everyone was and
if they were busy or not.  "Mother Suresh" as she was known to many of the
crew was well liked, but could be a bit tough where her transport girls and
boys were concerned.

   Helene marveled at the Panama Canal and got to see it from the ship's
bridge house, as the pilot guided the ship smoothly from lock to lock, and
then across the lake and then down the Pacific side locks past Balboa and
after dropping off the pilot, it was out into the Pacific heading west
southwesterly towards the islands.

   Helene had also noticed that everything seemed to come in 2 languages, a
squiggly looking script, and English.  The squiggly language was Tamil, the
National Language, and English was also an official language for all legal,
military, and governmental affairs.  The society was fully bilingual, and
Audrey conducted Tamil classes for the girls and the crew assisted with
enthusiasm and soon Helene had picked up several hundred Tamil words
including some off-color slang, and soon began to understand the unusual
postposition structure of the language fairly well.  It was radically
different from English, but the 2 languages did seem to complement one
another.

   The ship got into a busy shipping lane and soon they were part of a long
convoy of ships that were returning from the Americas and on course to
enter the Island waters at Cape Jac Island on the eastern edge of the
nation.

   Helene began to notice that memories of Baltimore and her awful
childhood were becoming distant dream-like mirages from some faraway place.
She would watch the blinking of the communications lights between the ships
and was surprised at how far light traveled over the water.  The blinking
lights, like she had seen on many a night near the Baltimore docks, but now
Baltimore might as well have been on the moon.

   Each day there was a religious service and it seemed the entire crew
showed up.  It was an early Vedic based religion that was well over 10,000
years old that until just over a century before was unknown and forgotten.
However, the ancient religion and its hundreds of stone tablets that told
its message were re-discovered in 1822 by an English explorer visiting
India, named Lord Henry Robertson.  The discovery was cataclysmic in India,
and Robertson was the subject of a great miracle the aftermath of which
left his full head of dark brown hair, snow white.  Robertson was deeply
moved by the event and soon had many thousands of followers from all castes
and the Untouchables, and even some Muslims who were profoundly touched by
Robertson's teachings.  Needless to say Robertson had some friction with
the Hindu holy men and the mullahs, especially those yogis preaching to the
higher castes.

   In 1830, facing increasing trouble from the high Hindu priests,
Robertson left Madras with several ship loads of settlers and supplies and
led the convoy on a long and perilous journey to an uncharted and seemingly
impenetrable island group in the South Central Pacific that had been known
of since the seventeenth century which even Polynesian natives said no one
had ever come back from alive from.  Indeed, no one who attempted to
penetrate the reefs and rock formations that ringed the large island group
had ever come back alive from the adventure, and many hundreds of mariners
had tried, and all had failed, or died trying.  Called "The Devil's Land"
the islands were surrounded by a strange tooth like rock formation system
that gave the impression of teeth rising and falling as the waves crashed
against the hard granite stone of the outer islands.  Then there were the
reefs and sandbars which were quite dangerous.  Many a mariner had come to
his death on the "Devil's Teeth" as those rocks were called.  But Robertson
proclaimed that through a revelation, he knew of a way in and would lead
his followers to a Zion.  Back in India, most people thought they had seen
the last of Robertson, he and those foolish enough to follow him would
never be seen again.

   Sure enough, Robertson found a narrow and perilous passage on the
western edge of the archipelago, and the ships sailed through and
eventually landed on what is today, Victoria Island.  The archipelago was
an unspoiled paradise!  The only animal dangers appeared to be certain
unusual snakes, very plentiful stone fish and several kinds of smaller
tropical sharks, most notably, lemon sharks.  Robertson formed a village on
the southwest end of the Island they had landed on and called the community
"New Madras," but by 1840 the village, now a prosperous small city, was
renamed "Port Victoria."

   Robertson's ships made 11 voyages from India to the Robertson's and back
again.  Robertson's triumphant return to Madras in 1831 cemented his
reputation as a great mariner and explorer.  Robertson left India for the
last time in 1840

   Robertson was very shrewd, and no fool when it came to the machinations
of the British colonialists, and he was able to keep the colonial
exploiters at bay, for virtually his entire life, [and he lived to be 101
years old].  But in 1841, and under pressure from the crown, Robertson did
accept a British governor-overseer.  However Robertson shrewdly maneuvered
around and was able to pick a Governor of his own choosing, Sir Harold
Mackay, a devotee of the new Vedic faith that Robertson preached, and a man
trusted by the Crown.  For the next 50 years, Mackay would be the Governor
for the Crown.  Mackay strongly recommended Commonwealth status for the
island nation in 1886 and the Crown reluctantly agreed.  Sir Harold stayed
on in the islands and died there in 1890.  Lord Robertson died in 1897, and
his son Harry, who was named for his good friend Sir Harold McKay, has
ruled the country as the highly popular elected President very effectively
since then.

   The islands are very wealthy in gold, precious gems, silver, platinum,
palladium, copper, and even some coal of high grade.  In the 1920's oil was
discovered in the Victoria North Channel, and since then the nation has
become very powerful.

   The history of the islands is fascinating with a long love-hate
relationship with both Great Britain and the United States.  The British
settled their issues during the Zulu War of 1879 when elements of the
Robertson Islands Army assisted in the battle of Roark's Drift, decisively
helping the beleaguered British forces defeat a vastly superior in numbers
attacking forces, and then served with distinction for the rest of the
campaign.  Any remaining issues were settled during the Great War when
Robertson Islands Army troops spelled the British in India, freeing up many
thousands of troops for the Western Front, its Air Corps served with
distinction in France, and its Navy was very effective in keeping the sea
lanes open to Britain.

   Helene learned all about the history of a people that had become great
in a short time.  She marveled at how the Indian and European, British, and
American settlers had intermarried and produced an extraordinary people. 
And she learned about how some become a strong force for freedom and
liberty.  But she also learned of American attempts to intervene in the
Robertson's and how they had been rebuffed soundly, not once, but twice.

   Relations with America were another matter.  Two times in the nineteenth
century America had tried to take over the island nation, both times ended
in bloody failure for the Americans.

   The first time was during the American Civil War when renegade Union
Naval units under the command of a man named Underwood attempted to lay
claim to the eastern passage.

   After some initial success in capturing some uninhabited outpost
islands, Underwood found himself confronted by the entire Robertson Islands
Eastern Fleet under the command of Captain Vejay "Tommy" Jac, and over
thirty thousand naval infantry troops.

   It was a rout.  Underwood fled in order to save his ships from certain
destruction, but was intercepted by a flying squadron of fast first rate
ships and cut to pieces.  Captain Jac then chased Underwood's surviving
ships all the way back to San Francisco.  All land based American troops
were captured with only a few getting shot.

   The aftermath saw over 1100 American troops and sailors captured, 6
warships captured or sunk, 2 troop ships captured, 359 soldiers and sailors
killed, and a formal protest to the Americans asking if war was their
intention was filed through the British which caught Abraham Lincoln by
complete surprise.  A furious Lincoln moved to calm the matter quickly and
Underwood was hanged.  The cause had been Underwood suspecting that the
Robertson's were aiding the Confederacy, or at least that's what most of
his crew thought.  But Underwood's motives were baser; he was looking to
get rich quick and thought the peaceful island nation would be easy
pickings for an armed horde.

   The second attempt was a privately funded plot in 1884 to penetrate the
nation from the north.  A cabal of Republican politicians and wealthy men
wanted to "better manage" the island nation.  The attempt ended as a bloody
fiasco when the ships ran aground on rocky shoals in waters teeming with
stone fish and sharks.  The men were reduced to cannibalism before naval
forces again under the command of now Admiral Jac arrived, and witnessed
the horrifying spectacle.

   The broken, half mad survivors were returned and the story was
sensational.  Several political and commercial figures of importance were
destroyed by the attempt to grab the islands.

   Tensions rose again when President Teddy Roosevelt had wanted the "Great
White Fleet" to be allowed to have a port of call in the islands, but
memories of the two previous events with American ships wanting to make "a
call" were still fresh in many minds and the nation refused.  Roosevelt was
not pleased, but did not force the issue.

   Following the Great War, thousands of British, American, French and
German ex-soldiers emigrated to the Robertson's, and their influence has
been profound.  These war damaged men were a strong voice for liberty and
freedom and found the peace and tranquility of the Robertson's very much to
their liking.

   However, after the war there began a slow but steady influx of mainly
American youths who stowed away aboard Robertson Island ships, claiming God
had told them in a dream to go out to the islands.  When the High Priest of
the National Temple claimed that this was indeed a command from God, and
that they should be welcomed, the stowaways were treated as honored guests.
The result has been a slow steady influx of Americans into the nation that
varies considerably from year to year.  But there is one trend that is very
noticeable, and that is that there are more stowaways during trying times
than during quiet ones, and no one is sure why that is.  But the issue also
provokes controversy as most of the stowaways are girls who marry darker
skinned islanders, or are homosexual, and the homosexual group is by far
the larger of the two.  Boys come to the islands too.  They tend to be
white or mixed race, are mainly British, Canadian, or American, marry
island women, and lead exceptionally happy family lives.  But the number of
boys who go to the islands is smaller than the number of girls and these
boys have a number of somewhat specific features.

   But the days went by steadily, and for Helene the life of a sailor
seemed to be very agreeable.  The daily routines became the pulse of the
ship's life.  Helene impressed the officers with her, neatness, pleasant
manner, orderly conduct, efficiency, and attention to detail.  She picked
up on the order and protocol of the Navy Merchant Marine service to such an
extent that Captain Gavin strongly suggested that Helene join the Navy when
her school terms were completed, and stated he would write a letter of
recommendation on her behalf if she wished.

   Helene watched the sky and kept note of the increasing cloudiness, and
increasing size of the waves.

   Four days out from the Panama Canal, the ship found itself in a powerful
storm, and facing huge waves.  Captain Gavin was well experienced with
Pacific gales and kept the ship safe.  But the pitching and rolling was so
severe that the cooks were unable to feed the crew and sandwiches had to be
sent to them.  While some others got quite seasick, Helene held her own
quite well.  Lieutenant Kim said that Helene was a "good sailor" meaning
she didn't get seasick and had good sea legs, and that she should join the
navy.  She also made friends by being one of the people who brought
sandwiches and drink to the crewmen.  The pitching decks did not seem to
affect her balance as badly as some of the others.  Good sea legs.

   While delivering food to the crew during the worst of the gale, Helene
happened to open a wrong door and found herself in a crew showers location.
In there was a young man who could not have been a day over nineteen, he
was a light skinned mixed race lad with somewhat Indian facial features and
eyes, and he was very handsome.  He was also naked, and Helene could not
help but notice the good physique and the astonishing manhood of this
beautiful young man dangling nearly half way down his thigh.

   The man quickly moved to cover himself and Helene promptly fled the
room. She would later meet him on deck, and learned his name was Richard.
He was eighteen and fresh from training on his first voyage as an
engineering mate, and he loved the Navy.  They talked a little but they had
duties to do, and besides, "Mother Suresh" was keeping watch.  She
admonished Helene to not fraternize with the crew, "even though he is a
very handsome one" she added in a humorous manner that Helene understood
immediately to mean "don't fraternize, but if you do, that boy is a fine
one to do it with."

   So much to learn, but when the call of "Land Ho" came from the lookout
she knew it was all worth it.  There it was in the distance, the tall peak
of Cape Jac Island.  They had lost three days in the powerful squall, but
that was past them now, the sun was out and the sea was calming down.

   The `Eastern Passage' to the Robertson Islands is a narrow one and it
can be treacherous.  Ships must pass in single file due to the narrowness
of the deep water passage, and there is traffic control to allow ships in
and out in an orderly way.  Helene watched closely and stayed out of the
way as the Captain and helmsman guided the large freighter into the
passage. She saw the many antennae of the radio and navigation signal
stations that festooned Cape Jac Island.  Cape Jac is literally a tall
mountain in the sea, and its southerly neighbor, Passage Island is no small
affair either.

   But with skill and care and plenty of patience, Captain Gavin got the
big freighter through the narrow inlet and into the area of the first ring
of islands called "The Barrens" because they are little more than massive
granite rocks with nothing growing on them and no fresh water sources.  It
was another day before the ship was through the marked but still
troublesome passages through "The Barrens." But they had made it, and
Helene knew she had made the right choices in coming to this land.





   End of Chapter 1