After standing there in quiet contemplation, the captain comes up behind them and says, “We’re making for Maradan, a city on a local island near here. We have some cargo to unload and others to procure before leaving. We’ll be spending the night at dock before lifting anchor in the morning.”

“Maybe we could do some sightseeing?” James asks, turning around.

“Might not be a bad idea,” the captain agrees. “When we leave there, it’ll be four more days until we drop anchor again.”

“Anything worthwhile to see on the island?” he asks.

“Not really,” he tells him. “There are several nice inns if you want to take advantage of them while we’re there. It’s possible you may find something of interest, though my men tend to just stay on the ship while we’re there.”

“Thank you anyway, captain,” James says.

“No problem,” he replies, “just thought you might want to know.” He then turns, and climbs the stairs to the deck over their room where the helmsman stands at the tiller.

James glances to Miko, “Wanna do some sightseeing while we’re there?”

“Sure,” he replies, “better than being cooped up on this ship.”

Just then, a large creature similar in nature to a whale from back home, suddenly crests the water and falls back, causing water to geyser up into the air.

“What was that?” Miko asks, wide-eyed.

“Not sure,” James answers, awed. “Back home it might’ve been called a whale.”

“It was incredible,” he says as he gazes out across the water, hoping to see another.

James looks out over the water too, but he’s more interested in the serenity it brings to him than trying to locate another of the creatures. He’d always found great peacefulness in watching the waves whenever he’d been on a ferry or charter boat back home.