The Pole Shift

Lord Jimmy and Lady Helen

"But Jimmy, they are Chinese. My blood, and your mothers. We can't!" Jimmy had been expecting Helen to speak. She chose a private moment. The woman, now in her seventies was still lithe, her almond eyes kind and wise. She had four grown children and many Grandchildren . Her sons were now imposing men and managed their own Island Craft as one. Jimmy spoke:

                "They are not Chinese anymore, they are a new mountain race. Born of the Chin, with much of their technology, but new people. Like us. They will destroy others Helen, they don't want different people in the world. They see their future not ours." Helen frowned in her old way saying:

                "So says Perez." Jimmy knew the way the conversation was going to end. He had played it out in his mind. It ended in Helen's obedience. But her four boys, they felt more romantic about their blood lines and were already discussing a supposed peaceful rendezvous.  Jimmy's mind danced as Helen watched him. She knew he was travelling possibilities. She watched his face very carefully for clues. She too concluded that she would go his way, even as her son's left to parley with the voyagers. Helen said:

                "Your sons will leave soon and hope to make peace yet you say they will be killed, how can you let them go?" Helen searched Jimmy's eyes but found no answer to their Son's fate.

                "Not all my Sons."

                "No, not all, we have pooled all our genes." She looked sideways as if guilty yet it was accepted truth, the hundred or so children of the Pole Shift survivors were intermingled through original sometimes arbitrary couplings and then their children's lusts. Miss Wright, the Old World teacher had born seven before her time came. There were Grandchildren on board, and in their arms Great Grandchildren. Jimmy felt jealousy anyway, he was aloof to Helen's face but her loyalty to him since their Pre Pole Shift school days had never wavered. A misanthrope could not fail to love that. He said to her dead pan:

                "Your sons will be lost, almost instantly, the Himalayan fleet will kill them like a mosquito has landed. They will be sunk without engaging their plasma. I have seen it. " Helen looked aghast, confused and wary. She searched Jimmy's eyes as he continued. "Then, I will harness your revenge. You will destroy your own ancient blood lines. Lady Heren." The schoolyard taunt still stung and the old Australian Chinese woman lowered her eyes. Jimmy felt her thoughts, yet turned away, understanding that Helen's love of him was like a ring nose to which he held the chain.

                "If they kill my Sons, your Sons, our Sons, who wouldn't want revenge? Are we ragtag, or are we a peoples? Do you not love your people?" Helen left Jimmy without a chance to reply. He had no seen that simple truth and the suspicion that his ability to see into the future was filtered to suit Perez rose sharply. He stood suddenly and climbed up to his ship's Crow's Nest. He looked at his flotilla. Many eyes were drawn to him. The wind caught Jimmy the Old Man's eyes and they watered. Helen's Sons were preparing their craft in an uncustomary way, by dawn, they would be gone to meet the Himalayan fleet.

Jimmy tried to connect to them, but all he could think of was his own mother who had got in a car and left him at home with his silly round eyed bacon and eggs eating Step Father. What fate had she met as the Pole Shift hit? Did she still search for high ground in her stupid Toyota as a ghost? What care had she held for him? The wind that tugged moisture from his eyes spilled true tears across his worn face.