Chapter 2

August of '74 found James Davidson relaxing in Daniel's Cafe Americana, located in the hotel American Emporium. The hotel (which included a number of services, such as a barber shop, laundry service, etc.), was the home of all of the American members of the Ethernaut Corps, as well as a few of the foreign members. Cafe Americana had become the unofficial watering hole of the members of the Ethernaut Corps, as well as the members of the international press. This included one Patrick O'Sullivan, who worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Patrick was a hard-drinking, hardnosed writer who nonetheless knew when to keep things "off the record" when bending an elbow with the ethernauts at the Cafe Americana.

Patrick's pride and joy, his eighteen year old daughter Katherine, was also with him. She was as sassy and funny as her bright red hair, blazing green eyes, and smattering of freckles would make you believe. But as bold as she was, she knew when to keep an ardent admirer at bay with a well-placed quip or an even better placed kick. To date, the furthest an ethernaut or a journalist had gotten with Kate was a stolen kiss.

The American Emporium Hotel, the brain child of the American immigrants (who had been immigrants themselves to America before relocating to St. Lucia), was a smashing success. It was part hotel/part boarding house, with a restaurant, a deli, a small dry goods and luxuries store ... in short, everything for the American expat who was feeling homesick. The partnership was made up of the Fioravanzo and Meynard families, as well as the Wongs, a family of Chinese immigrants. Dayo Wong, the patriarch of the Wong family, had originally brought his family to San Francisco twenty years ago, and had slowly moved eastward. Mr. Wong often joked that he would eventually return to China from the opposite direction that he had left it.

The Wong family was basically invisible, providing the services at the American Emporium (as well as a third of the capital). Anti-Chinese biases weren't as strong on the East Coast of the United States as they were in the west, but they were present, even in the American community on St. Lucia. It was because of this bias that James became friends with the Wong family through their eighteen year old daughter, Cuifen.

A band of American merchant sailors on leave had exited the Cafe Americana and literally bumped into Cuifen. Normally, Cuifen wouldn't have been where she was, but an unusually large American delegation had put a strain on the hotel's linens, and she was hurrying to gather more soap for her father's laundry.

The sailors, driven by drink, bigotry and desire, quickly cornered the helpless Cuifen. She would have faced being violated at the very least, and possibly worst, if James hadn't stepped out of the Cafe Americana at that particular moment. Outnumbered, James still launched himself into the crowd of sailors. The following ruckus drew the attention of the remaining ethernaut corps in the bar. The following fight was quick and very one-sided.

After that, the Wongs, like so many other families, adopted James Davidson. In addition, James was the recipient of shy, quiet hero worship of Cuifen Wong. James was a guest at many Wong dinners, where he listened with fascination to the stories of the Wong patriarch, from his days as a boy in the Guangdong province to his adventures travelling across America.

Cuifen was absolutely stunning, with her soulful brown eyes, long dark hair, and stunning figure. Again, James might have been tempted to be more than just the recipient of Cuifen's hero worship, but it wasn't in the cards. As much as the senior Wong liked and admired the American ethernaut, he knew neither his culture nor James' would approve of a match between the two. Dayo Wong had decided to match Cuifen with the scion of a wealthy Chinese family living in New York.

But back to the here and now.

James was sitting at a table across from Alfred Nobel and Otto Lilienthal, both of whom had been drawn to the Moon Project. Although both men had only come to the program less than a year ago, both were already in charge of their respective departments. Thanks to Alfred, the new head of the Projects propulsion and engine division (and a major investor to boot), James thought that landing a man on the moon before the end of the century had become a very real possibility. But as important as Nobel's contributions had been, Otto's contributions were even more significant, at least in the sphere of politics.

Otto Lilienthal and his brother Gustav had come to St. Lucia to work on the project's parachutes. Otto and Gustav, though, were quickly redirected to the Project's burgeoning heavier-than-air aircraft. It was Otto's involvement in the project that had drawn the newly unified German Empire into the Moon Project and also achieved what was considered impossible: thwarting the machinations of Otto Von Bismarck.

Bismarck had separated the younger Wilhelm from his family, planning to eventually use the prince as a weapon against his parents. When a German contingency of inventors and engineers left for St. Lucia, they took along with them the thirteen year-old Wilhelm II. Wilhelm expected to be made an honorary ethernaut based upon his position. Much to his dismay (as well as that of the diplomatic corps of Great Britain, the United States, and the German Empire), the director of the ethernaut corps, James Davidson, informed the Emperor's heir that there were no honorary ethernauts. But he would give the young German prince a chance to eventually earn a spot.

At the beginning, the young German prince resented what he considered the blatant lack of respect due to him. But within a year, young Wilhelm had become the unofficial mascot of the ethernaut corps, with each member giving the young prince tutelage in a wide variety of subjects, from the physics of dirigibles to the nascent mathematics associated with rocketry. Lord Brent and James treated the young prince as a favored younger brother, much to Wilhelm's delight. Wilhelm knew it would be years before he could get into the ethernaut corps, but he wasn't too disappointed. After all, none of the other ethernauts had gone into space yet, but all were involved in the many experiments happening on the island, including Otto's heavier-than-air aircraft. The Anglo-German alliance looked as if would thrive in the future rule of Wilhelm II, with the United States now forming the third corner of that international alliance.

But again, back to the present moment.

James made his farewells to Otto and Alfred, making his way back to his room. It was going to be a busy week. First, there was his birthday coming up, his 29th. His friends and fellow ethernauts, Lord Brent and Prince Wilhelm (as odd and as inseparable as three friends could be) had already explained that they had his birthday mapped out for him. And then there was the launch of the Prometheus. With the completion of the launch rail system going up the side of Mt. Gimie, the Moon Project was ready to launch its most ambitious project: the launch of a probe into the ether. No one was sure exactly what the qualities of the ether were, but several theories were waiting to be tested, and several devices were placed on the probe to recover ether and bring it back to earth.

But as James made his way back to his room, little did he realize that his first birthday present was waiting for him!

As James made his way to his room, he reflected on a conversation he had had on the Mountain (which is what everyone on the island called the launch rail and the associated Moon Project facilities) with his best friend, Lord Brent. Lord Brent had pointed out to him that it simply wouldn't do for the head of the ethernaut corps, the leading candidate to be the first ethernaut in space, and the de facto assistant director of the Moon Project to remain single. When James pointed out to Lord Brent that he himself was unmarried, Lord Brent merely shrugged and observed, "Apples and oranges, Davidson. Apples and oranges. Besides, mother is picking me out a nice, dutiful wife even as we speak."

It was just that James didn't have any prospects. Scratch that. Make that prospects that he found palatable.

There was Lady Brent, but James knew he had no chance with her. She was the daughter of a member of the cadet branch of the ruling monarchy. She was gorgeous, though, and a true lady. No one, regardless of their station, was made to feel uncomfortable in her presence.

There was the daughter of that Irish reporter from St. Louis, Katherine O'Sullivan. She was smart, funny, spirited, and lovely. And she had let it be known on more than one occasion that she was going to be to journalism what Florence Nightingale had become in modern nursing. And that meant never bending her will to the demands of matrimony.

And the lovely Cuifen Wong. Shy, demure, radiant, lovely, and doting on his every word and whim. And James wasn't Chinese. And truthfully, James couldn't jeopardize his career with a non-white wife, even if Cuifen was almost worth the sacrifice.

The same was true with Sophia Fioravanzo. She was funny, sassy ... and Catholic. Of course, James could convert to Catholicism, but then he could kiss his career goodbye in the same move.

Jane Meynard. Mrs. Meynard had been trying to marry off her other daughters to James as long as he remembered, but Jane was the crown jewel of the Meynard family. She was being held back for somebody a few stations above that of an ex-Confederate soldier involved in a crazy scheme, even if that scheme was being supported by some of the greatest scientists and financiers in the world.

No, Jane was being kept for someone who moved in the social circles of someone like Emily Waggoner.

James glowered at the mere thought of that woman. She was infuriating, insufferable, and ... and...

Intellectually brilliant, James was forced to admit. Perhaps misguided, but she was passionate about those causes she had adopted. And the fact was, Emily fit the mode of the type of woman that James was physically attracted to.

Emily, Jane, Sophia, Katherine, Sarah, Cuifen ... though of different coloring, they all shared the physical qualities that James found desirable. Large busted, slim waisted, but with womanly hips, smooth complexions, their hair reaching to their waist. And all approximately a foot shorter than James' height.

I wonder what it is I find so attractive about woman so much smaller than myself, James wondered.

He did not have time to reflect on this, though. When he opened his door, standing in the middle of his room was Cuifen Wong, holding a small, gift wrapped present in her hand.

"Cuifen?" Cuifen was standing in the middle of the room, a plain grey dress on that she wore for her room cleaning duties. Even in that, she looked spectacular, James thought to himself.

"I ... I knew it was your birthday, and you've done so much for our family ... for me." Eyes cast down, Cuifen held the small package out in front of her. It was wrapped in thin tin foil that she must have taken from the hotel's kitchen.

Opening it up, James found a pocket watch chain woven from Cuifen's own hair.

"Cuifen, I'm-- I'm speechless. Thank you!"

"I--I wanted you to have something to remind you of me. I--my father has arranged for me to go to New York next summer to be married. It will be good for both our families," Cuifen offered by way of a hurried explanation.

"Well, I--I'm going to miss you, Cuifen. I--" James and Cuifen stood there silent and motionless, as the awkward moment stretched on.

Suddenly, Cuifen wrapped her arms around James's waist, hugging him tightly. James just held her, stroking the top of her head. Cuifen looked up at him, tears in her eyes. James looked down, just staring into those deep, dark eyes. Before he knew it, he found himself leaning down to kiss Cuifen.

Cuifen was caught by surprise, and it was obvious to James that this was her first kiss. After a few moments of awkwardness, Cuifen gave herself over to the kiss.

James finally released Cuifen from the kiss, and looked down into her eyes. She stared wide-eyed back up at him, then closed her eyes again as James brushed her cheek with his fingertips. When James fingertip descended to the hollow of her throat, her eyes flew open.

"Please ... don't hurt me, James."

James's finger traced circles at the base of Cuifen's throat, luxuriating in the smoothness of her skin. As he pondered her last words, he drew Cuifen to himself, his hand holding her head to his chest.

The two held each other silently before Cuifen gently broke the embrace. Before she left the room, however, she turned to James and said, "I--I would like to talk like this some more, before I go." With that, Cuifen dashed out the door.

James stared at the door, wondering what he had gotten himself to.

James and Alfred Nobel stood in an iron-plated building, looking out through slits at the rail launching facility that ran to the peak of Mt. Gimie.

"So how do you like your birthday fireworks, James?" Alfred said with a smile. The Prometheus was scheduled to launch on the day of James' 29th birthday.

"Well, Alfred--"

Alfred laughed. "I think you're the only one of your countrymen who doesn't insist on calling me Al. To be honest, I've become rather enamored with the abbreviation."

James laughed as well. "Well, Al, I'm still amazed at the progress we've made. We've been here a little more than a year, and we're ready to launch our first probe into the Ether. And we owe the lion's share of the credit to you, Al."

Alfred shrugged, but it was nothing less that the truth. The Prometheus would start off at the base of Mt. Gimie, and through a series of steam-powered catapults and explosive packs, would accelerate up Mt. Gimie where a final blast from the Prometheus itself would launch it (hopefully!) up beyond the atmosphere for a few precious moments into the Ether, where it would return (again hopefully!) with precious samples of the Ether itself.

Alfred scanned the horizon. "And you're going to have to talk to the Prince again, James. You or Lord Brent. You're really the only the two who he listens to."

James looked up and laughed. "Flying into restricted airspace again, I see. Well, all the ethernauts--and potential ethernauts--have to keep up their flying time. I'll just have to remind him that the rail is off limits."