<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-decoration: underline">The Great Eastern - July 17, 1860</span><br/><br/>The ship was being prepared for its next trip. She was virtually empty for a vessel that size, but at least there were paying passengers. She was supposed to make the cross from England to North America, and some important people, such as journalists, engineers and even the director of the Great Eastern Railway had decided to take the trip. It should have been a grand trip, but only 35 paying passengers were taking it. With the crew, only 43 people to occupy the massive ship. <br/><br/>Not that her Captain was surprised. Everything seemed to be going wrong with this ship. He was almost surprised that she wasn't at the bottom of some ocean right now. And to make things worse, his crew had gotten so drunk ashore he had seen the need to delay their departure. Just what he needed. Now, though, they were finally in the process of getting the ship ready.<br/><br/>"Hopwood!", the captain yelled for one of his crew members. He didn't want for an answer before carrying on. "How are things below deck?", the Captain continued, wanting to make sure everything would run smoothly in this trip.<br/><br/><span style="text-decoration: underline">Margareth Mills</span><br/><br/>The young woman was sitting on a bed at a small hotel. She was really upset, as the ship she had bought a passage on, which was supposed to have sailed on the 14th, was now only sailing at the 17th, due to 'technical issues'. Not much more had been informed, but passengers who were already aboard had been asked to go back ashore and wait for someone to contact them so they could go back to the ship. <br/><br/>At least, Margareth thought, she wasn't waiting alone. And, even it was a little late, it would still be a fun trip.<br/><br/>Looking up from her book, Margareth smiled in looking at her companion.<br/><br/>"Excited?", she asked simply. "It should be at any moment now".</div>