Chapter 5: To Meet One's Maker (With Epilogue)
Subtle Aaron, captain of the SS Palladium, was taking his turn on watch, standing upon the ship’s highest perch. The captains of other ships, he knew, would have delegated this monotonous duty to subordinates, but the Palladium was not like other ships. Here all were equal in the service of Athena, and everyone from the lowest swabbie to Aaron himself had a shift in the crow’s nest.
It was sunset, and the cottony sky was suffused with all the colors of the rainbow, spreading out in arcs around the sun and across the waters. As Aaron looked out over the waves, contemplating the cosmic events of a few days past, he became conscious of a presence at his side. He turned his head to see a tall, blonde man beside him, muscular and naked from the waist up.
“Nice view,” said the stranger.
“The same one we had this time yesterday,” replied Aaron.
“But how miraculous that it should exist at all! The water full of silver fishes, the sky full of cawing gulls, and upon the waves, the ships full of spirited heroes. The very existence of such life is a miracle. I should know.”
There was a long silence as the two looked to the horizon together. Then the man spoke again. “Captain, I wonder if you would listen to some thoughts of mine. I’m afraid you may find some of them a bit heretical, your ship being as it is, but there you are.” He held out his hand.
Aaron carefully withheld his. “Your name?”
“My name is Prometheus. Do you know me?”
Aaron nodded warily, unsurprised. “I know of you. The tales tell how you stole fire from the gods and were bound to a mountain as just and deserved punishment. I hardly see how a pious man could worship you.”
“I don’t like the word ‘worship.’ When I hear it I think of men down on their knees, like slaves licking their masters’ feet.”
“Then why are you here?”
“A long time ago I brought fire to man to save him from the indifferent gods, the same gods whose feet men lick today. The reason I accepted deceitful Amphitrite’s offer of escape is that I wanted a chance to bring a different kind of fire to man: the fire of freedom and self-determination. Not the chill touch of worship and bondage.”
“Pretty words. But what do you want from me?”
Prometheus closed his eyes. The sunset behind him cast him in silhouette and shone in a faint halo around his body. “Only that you, with your insight, take my message of life and freedom and spread it to all corners. There are no consequences if you refuse; I ask this as a favor and nothing more. But if you agree, I will use what power I have to speed you on your way to Ithaca and give you fortitude to overcome your obstacles – for the liberation of the world.”
Aaron considered, but did not need to think for long. "Prometheus," he replied tactfully, "I cannot do this favor for you. My service to Athena is too important to me. It is her message I spread, and not yours."
Prometheus's shoulders fell. The sun had descended; only a small red hillock just above the horizon remained to illuminate the vanishing day. "In a way I expected as much. The captain of a ship devoted to Athena -- a wise goddess, but full of pride -- was perhaps not the best person to approach. I had hoped my way of thinking would resonate with you, but since it does not, I shall take my leave. Thank you, at least, for hearing me out."
Aaron smiled slightly. "Of course. But you needn't bother asking the same of the others on my ship; you will get the same answer from any of them. What you call tyranny, we call patronship and protection. Our ideologies are incompatible. You may have created man - but you cannot control his mind."
"Nor would I ever seek to. Goodbye, Captain Aaron! Smooth sailing!"
And with that, Prometheus took a prodigious leap from the crow's nest, hurtled over the entire body of the ship, and landed within the sea's deep waters in a perfect swan dive. Aaron watched, but the encroaching darkness cast a pall on the waters. If the god resurfaced, Aaron did not see him.
It was sunset, and the cottony sky was suffused with all the colors of the rainbow, spreading out in arcs around the sun and across the waters. As Aaron looked out over the waves, contemplating the cosmic events of a few days past, he became conscious of a presence at his side. He turned his head to see a tall, blonde man beside him, muscular and naked from the waist up.
“Nice view,” said the stranger.
“The same one we had this time yesterday,” replied Aaron.
“But how miraculous that it should exist at all! The water full of silver fishes, the sky full of cawing gulls, and upon the waves, the ships full of spirited heroes. The very existence of such life is a miracle. I should know.”
There was a long silence as the two looked to the horizon together. Then the man spoke again. “Captain, I wonder if you would listen to some thoughts of mine. I’m afraid you may find some of them a bit heretical, your ship being as it is, but there you are.” He held out his hand.
Aaron carefully withheld his. “Your name?”
“My name is Prometheus. Do you know me?”
Aaron nodded warily, unsurprised. “I know of you. The tales tell how you stole fire from the gods and were bound to a mountain as just and deserved punishment. I hardly see how a pious man could worship you.”
“I don’t like the word ‘worship.’ When I hear it I think of men down on their knees, like slaves licking their masters’ feet.”
“Then why are you here?”
“A long time ago I brought fire to man to save him from the indifferent gods, the same gods whose feet men lick today. The reason I accepted deceitful Amphitrite’s offer of escape is that I wanted a chance to bring a different kind of fire to man: the fire of freedom and self-determination. Not the chill touch of worship and bondage.”
“Pretty words. But what do you want from me?”
Prometheus closed his eyes. The sunset behind him cast him in silhouette and shone in a faint halo around his body. “Only that you, with your insight, take my message of life and freedom and spread it to all corners. There are no consequences if you refuse; I ask this as a favor and nothing more. But if you agree, I will use what power I have to speed you on your way to Ithaca and give you fortitude to overcome your obstacles – for the liberation of the world.”
Subtle Aaron, please select an option.
1. Convert to Prometheus.
2. Refuse.
Aaron considered, but did not need to think for long. "Prometheus," he replied tactfully, "I cannot do this favor for you. My service to Athena is too important to me. It is her message I spread, and not yours."
Prometheus's shoulders fell. The sun had descended; only a small red hillock just above the horizon remained to illuminate the vanishing day. "In a way I expected as much. The captain of a ship devoted to Athena -- a wise goddess, but full of pride -- was perhaps not the best person to approach. I had hoped my way of thinking would resonate with you, but since it does not, I shall take my leave. Thank you, at least, for hearing me out."
Aaron smiled slightly. "Of course. But you needn't bother asking the same of the others on my ship; you will get the same answer from any of them. What you call tyranny, we call patronship and protection. Our ideologies are incompatible. You may have created man - but you cannot control his mind."
"Nor would I ever seek to. Goodbye, Captain Aaron! Smooth sailing!"
And with that, Prometheus took a prodigious leap from the crow's nest, hurtled over the entire body of the ship, and landed within the sea's deep waters in a perfect swan dive. Aaron watched, but the encroaching darkness cast a pall on the waters. If the god resurfaced, Aaron did not see him.
As a result of Aaron's refusal, and the necessity of there being a negative consequence to selecting one of the options, the vote of the Mariner Satyr Eyes shall not count in any Mutinies or elections for Captain until the end of the next Lacuna. Had Aaron accepted Prometheus's offer, a grateful Prometheus would have erected a Really Big Mast on the Palladium to speed the ship home.
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