Summary

The chapters alternate between the perspective of the unnamed 21st century narrator and 19th century naval officer Graham Gore. The narrator’s chapters are numbered and Gore’s chapters have roman numerals.

Chapter I begins with a man walking across ice, wondering if he might die. Despite this he is in a cheerful mood. He hears the shots of a cannon and realizes that the ship is sending a signal.

In Chapter 1, the narrator recounts the interview process that led to her getting a new government job. The process was so shrouded in secrecy that she did not know what job she was applying for, only that it involved working in some capacity with refugees and required the highest level of security clearance. She was interviewed by a woman named Adela. She was irritated during the recruitment process by references to...