IC: Chapter 1 - NEW YORK, Starts 12th Jan 1925

[Grafster]

As Andrei's eyes adapt to the eclipse's dark gloom he picks out the glowing end Johnny's cigarette moving down the deck away from Miss Downing and Timour.

[Decrepit]

"You haven't spoiled anything," Caroline replies gently, offering her arm.

[Timour Rukov]

Elizabeth's hair gently blows along with the wind from the surf, and Timour feels her lean into him. He smiles devilishly. Its all working out to plan....Andrei will be a mess soon enough and will beg me to leave her be....perhaps he'll even throw a little more cash my way....a good game of cards and a few drinks with that would really brighten my night for sure....

Timour leans down and holds Elizabeth close, staring off at the mysterious sight in rapture. It was a rare sight, and one that words would surely spoil. Instead he wrapped both arms around her, and breathed in the smell of her perfume. Elizabeth was quite the dish, one he'd certainly like to enjoy at some point or another. But he knew better than to let it go farther than he'd planned.

[Raiko]

The eclipse lasts for almost five full minutes, bathing the Denovian in it's projected darkness, then - slowly - the sun begins to emerge again and daylight returns.

The band begins to play, and the 'after the eclipse festivities' begin.

[Maksim Rukov]

"I gotta admit that I envy Andrei," says Maksim, attempting to put a congenial arm around Caroline and drawing her to him in a squeeze/shoulder-hug that showed comdaderie rather than romantic intent. "A night like this and a love like his..." He pauses as the music begins, closing his eyes to enjoy it for a moment. "Oh, he'd better be taking advantage of it all! A dance and a kiss..." He pulls away from her playfully. "A love like bliss! These are the things that romance is made of."

He begins to hum along with the band as he dances an invisible lady around, no doubt to the chuckles and chortles and baleful stares of those around him. "Oh, what a tremendous occasion to be in love!" He gives a pair of young ladies a wink while his face is discreetly turned away from Caroline. "Oh, he had so better have left his sulk to be with her. Many of us will never have the chance to see a solar eclipse again let alone with the love of one's life." He says this last bit quite ruefully, thoughtfully, turning his face to the sky though not to the sun. "Wouldn't you say?"

[imme]

Elizabeth leans her head back against Timour's chest and quietly watches the mystical event. As the sun begins to creep back out from behind the moon, she sighs and turns her face away from the sky, gently pulling herself out of Timour's embrace. She lays a hand lightly on his arm and looks up into his eyes. In a quiet voice, only audible to Timour and even then only barely, she asks, "What did you dream about while you were in the coma, I wonder?" She blushes, hardly meaning to have vocalized her question and now embarrassed to have asked it.

[Decrepit]

"Yes, I suppose I would say," Caroline replies, more to herself than to Maks, who seemed to be off in a private world now. "What an odd day it's been. I feel as if we're in a Shakespeare comedy."

She approaches him again. "I've thought a bit more about your 'offer' of marriage. Perhaps that would be a good idea--the sham part, I mean, especially if we end up going places where a single woman is, well, even more suspicious than it is where we've come from.

"Of course, I'm not sure how ... convincing I can make that look. Do we look like two people in love?"

[Maksim Rukov]

He moves in cautiously, gallantly, with a great deal of showmanship, draws her in by the elbows and gazes into her eyes, head tilted back slightly so that the gesture would be more appraising and less intimidatingly close. "No one ever said both needed to be besotted... But for my part, I can play the role. I've done it before though not always after being asked. Strange women being bothered by even stranger men... All I ask is that you let that little kitten out of you to play and give as good as you get. Some say I tease women's hearts, I say I merely give in to the moment... Turn my games back on me and we'll have ourselves a little sport."

He chuckles and leans in to whisper... "We'd best make this look good. In case, of course, we're being followed already. Blush hard, it'll look better. Besides, I never actually got to do a proper proposal." He leans back and falls to one knee and clasps her hand in his, raising the engagement ring with the other. He gives her his most enchanted look, his face positively radiant. "My darling Caroline, will you marry me?" he asks, his voice craking with emotion.

[Timour Rukov]

She lays a hand lightly on his arm and looks up into his eyes. In a quiet voice, only audible to Timour and even then only barely, she asks, "What did you dream about while you were in the coma, I wonder?" She blushes, hardly meaning to have vocalized her question and now embarrassed to have asked it.

Timour smiles and looks at her with a caring glance, stroking his hand down her cheek softly. He averts his glance for a moment, looking off into the distance thoughtfully, then meets her gaze again.

"They were nightmares, really. I can't call them dreams. If I could've woken in a feverish sweat, it would have been better than being tormented for days without the ability to wake from them." Timour scratches the back of his head thoughtfully. "But don't worry your pretty head over it. I hope you weren't thinking of me while I was gone. I'd hate to be a worry."

[Decrepit]

"Well, now, a proper fake proposal," Caroline coos. "I blushingly accept--if you promise to uphold our phony vows. Should your eye wander, I shall pluck it out--and, believe me, I know how." She grins and punches him lightly on the arm.

"Now, is there a ceremony, or do we just head straight to the honeymoon?"

[Maksim Rukov]

Maksim says nothing as he slips on the rather large gold solitaire ring - it must have cost an absolute fortune. "Straight to the honeymoon," Maksim cries, lunging forward to spin her around and lift her up into his arms - careful not to touch her bottom or upper torso not to hold her too close to himself. He attempts to run off with her, a little unsteady due to the awkward pose and she realises that he's had a bit too drink.

[imme]

Elizabeth looks sad. "I'm so sorry. I thought I was inviting you and your brother to join us in an adventure. Little did I know it would turn into a nightmare, especially for you."

She looks down and sees the champagne glass she still holds. "I forgot, we're at a party. Shall we forget the world and just enjoy ourselves tonight? Come, dance with me."

[Decrepit]

Caroline follows willingly, giggling, enjoying the attention, however acquired.

[coffee demon]

No one sees Andrei for the rest of the evening. The lights are off in his room, and no one responds to any knocks at his door.

The next morning, Andrei is still conspicuously absent, although the chef will note that the huge Russian ordered coffee and orange juice very early in the morning, and took the drinks out of the dining hall, before any other passengers were up and about.

For the remainder of the voyage, Andrei orders food to his room, and only walks on the deck at night, or when absolutely necessary. He never answers his door, and if cornered, denies that anything is wrong, or that he's been hiding. If he ever encounters Elizabeth, he will rudely brush her off.

In other words, he's acting like a complete child and looking quite foolish.

[Grafster]

Johnny, as is his custom, drops in on, or tries to drop in on, Andrei at least once a day. He leaves once he gets some sort of sign that the Russian is within.