Off on a Comet Book 1 Chapter 13

In which two resolute British officers, steadfast in their duty and unshaken by the extraordinary transformation of their surroundings, maintain order and routine amidst isolation on a diminished island, marking time with a slow but deliberate game of chess and careful military discipline. Their attempts at signalling for relief culminate in the unexpected appearance of a foreign vessel bearing a mysterious flag, provoking a silent astonishment that hints at the wider implications of their plight.