Chapter Eight

"Alright," Jack said after a moment's hesitation. "We'll help out a few people, but we can't save everyone. This ship is supposed to sink with most of its passengers still on it. In fact..." Jack paused to remove his coat. "Here, put this on."
"I already have a jacket. You keep it," Jenny replied.
"I know that, just put it on. We can't have people noticing you, and in that outfit they will." Jenny obliged and Jack glanced around. He noticed a hat, a newsboy cap of sorts, that had fallen onto the deck and snatched it up. He put it on Jenny's head, tucking her ponytail into it.
"Why can't anyone notice me?" Jenny asked.
"No women or children survived this wreck. If something happens to my vortex manipulator and we can't teleport home, you'll need to get to safety without anyone seeing that you're a woman."
Jenny froze, trying to process the information. Only men survived? "But there must be hundreds of women and children on this ship!" she protested. "You're saying we can't save any of them?"
Jack put his hands on her shoulders to calm her. "I know it's painful and unfair, but if we try to change it the paradox would make the devastation much worse. You can save whoever you like, as long as it isn't a woman or child."
To their right, Jenny could see the stairs that led onto the deck. A little boy tried to run into the open, unafraid of the storm, but his mother reached out and pulled him back towards her skirts, sheltering him from the waves and wind. As she watched them walk back into the heart of the ship, her eyes watered and she began to cry. She hoped the hurricane around them would conceal her tears.
"Are we clear on that, Jenny?" Jack asked, one hand still on her shoulder. "We can always go back to Cardiff if you can't take it."
Jenny straightened up and looked Jack in the eyes. "No, we'll stay," she said with a wavering voice. "We have to save someone."
"Good." Jack smiled and squeezed Jenny's shoulder lightly. "Now, I know it's not very late yet, but you need to go below deck and rest up. There's nothing you can do to help until well after midnight."
"But-"
"No buts. Just go."
Jenny went down the stairs leading to the passengers' quarters. She avoided eye contact with the woman and her son as she passed by, trying not to give any sign that she knew what was to come. Through the third door to the right of the corridor was an empty closet where Jenny could rest somewhat peacefully, but she already knew she wouldn't get enough sleep.

At two-thirty the following morning the last of the anchor chains snapped, allowing the turbulent winds to send the ship closer to shore. The sudden movement awakened Jenny, who had only been sleeping a few hours, and alerted her that the ship was in danger. She ran up the stairs onto the deck, looking around frantically for Jack.
"Jenny!" his voice came from behind her. "You're just in time. The ship is heading rapidly for shore and I could use your help with controlling the frenzy. Any minute now, the ship is going to hit a sandbank and they'll send a lifeline to shore. When that happens, gather as many of the men as you can. You got that?"
Jenny nodded. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but how do you know so much about this?"
"It's a long story, but a long time ago I was stranded a decade from now, and I met one of the survivors. He was a nice fellow... named Thomas."
"That doesn't sound like a long story to me," Jenny teased.
"It is if you want to know how I got stranded."
The ship lurched suddenly and stopped moving. It had hit the sandbank as Jack predicted. Moments later, a sailor with a neatly trimmed beard approached them. Jenny saw his deep navy coat and guessed that he was the captain.
"You there," the captain said to Jack, "We are sending a lifeline to the shore, and we need strong men to assist." He pointed to a man near the stern with a long rope being tied around his waist. "Guzeppi has volunteered to swim to shore. All you need to do is keep the rope secure and help attach the bosun's chair when he has reached land."
"Aye, captain," Jack responded. He turned and nodded at Jenny before he walked away, signaling for her to carry out their plan.
Jenny scanned her surroundings and evaluated her task. "Gather the men, keep them calm, and help them get to shore when the rope is secure. Sounds simple enough," she thought. Most of the crew was already out on the deck and aware of what was happening, so Jenny decided to go below deck and round up the passengers.
Down the corridor from the closet she had slept in was a parlor full of men having late night cigars and beverages. She was surprised that they would be up at this hour, but supposed they couldn't sleep through the storm.
"Gentlemen," she announced, with her manliest voice, "The ship is in extremely dangerous waters and a lifeline is being sent to shore. You need to come aboard the deck as soon as possible in an orderly fashion."
The more anxious men immediately stood up and rushed to the door, pushing past Jenny as politely as their fearful hearts would allow. The others formed a line that was just narrow enough to fit through the door. One man stepped out of the line for a moment, trying to wedge between the line and Jenny to go further into the ship.
"What are you doing?" Jenny asked, blocking his path.
"I can't leave without my wife. I have to go back and get her." His voice was firm and determined.
"You can't. There isn't time!" Jenny insisted. "You go ahead and I'll gather as many others as I can."
"You can't stop me," he said, pushing her aside. As he ran deeper into the ship Jenny realized keeping history intact was going to be even harder than she had expected.