Having recently escaped from pirates, I was invited to join a private club composed entirely of men and women who had achieved the same distinction. I went to my first meeting in an anxious frame of mind, hoping my escape would be superior to those of the other members, but prepared for disappointment. Around a rough wooden table sat a motley collection of individuals and when I entered the room they began slamming full mugs down on the surface, applauding my arrival with spilled rum. I settled myself on a vacant chair and waited quietly to see what would develop.
The figure at the head of the table thrust his finger into the puddle that had formed on the uneven plank directly in front of him and watched the concentric ripples with a meditative smile. Lanterns swung from the ceiling on th
