speech, sexual preference, artistic expression, public and private association, and due process under the law shall not be curtailed.
5. The public authority shall possess the right to safeguard domestic tranquility and public safety and to regulate all armed and police forces. However, it shall possess no right to suspend, infringe, or otherwise abrogate individual freedoms and rights. There is no right to possess or use any weapon or tool except as authorized by public authority. Military service shall not be made compulsory.
6. Every person possesses an equal share of nature that is to be used and preserved. The harvesting of natural resources and the taking of animal life shall be regulated by public authority.
7. This compact shall be sworn at the commencement of every public meeting and may not be abridged.
After ratifying the new charter, everyone signed the document with commemorative pens and official copies thereafter were sent to the ship’s captain for delivery to officials in Geneva and Moscow. Unsigned copies were provided to every member of the state and the original draft was safeguarded by the professional staff for permanent archiving.
With a government formed and its ideals established, the community decided it was proper to celebrate—and a party was decreed by unanimous vote. Cases of Napa Valley’s finest wine were pried open and served with hors d’oeuvres. The staff psychologist—a petite blonde in her thirties with narrow hips and perky hair named Janine Erikson—lectured as Chardonnay and Chianti were poured into commemorative goblets. After every glass was filled, she led the toast.
“To our teachers for their wisdom,” Dr. Erikson said. “To Ryan for his vision. To all of us for the courage of our convictions. Cheers!”
“Cheers,” the audience thundered.
Celebrations continued well through the night.
5
Post-California Dreaming
Most emigrants gathered to party in a decorated cargo hold, except for several groups congregated for private celebrations on deck and a few couples who remained in their own cabins or nearby passageways. Among the former were a wiry Asian and his wife—who sipped sodas where the passageway to their room opened to the deck. They stood hidden in the shadows as they spoke in unbroken and unaccented English and occasionally checked into their cabin.
“They still sleeping?” the man asked his wife as she returned from one of her forays into the room.
“They’re still pretending to sleep,” the woman said with a laugh, “but they’re listening to the party. I heard them giggling when I opened the door.”
“I dread the teenage years,” the man replied.
“They’re not here yet.”
“Soon enough.”
“Do you think this will be a good place for them to grow up?”
“Better here,” the man said, “than Inglewood.”
“Or Michigan.”
“You’re right about that, Linh.”
“I always am.”
Now the woman pointed toward the stern. “It’s loud down there.”
Her husband nodded.
“I like the smell of the sea,” the woman said just before she pointed across the deck to a canvas-covered boat nearly as long and wide as a freight car. “Is that an imperialist landing craft?”
“That it is,” Viet said with a laugh. “It’s called an LCVP. They used them at Normandy. And in the Pacific.”
“Vietnam?”
“I read about a couple landings. Not often, though. They had helicopters to use against us.”
The woman rolled her eyes. “Us?”
“Well,” her husband said, “against my father.”
“He died an American ally. Like my father.”
“It’s ironic,” Viet said after a pause.
“How’s that?”
“My father fought the Americans and became a boat person to get to the United States. He brought me to Los Angeles and now I’m sailing into the Pacific to escape America.”
“It’s worth a chance,” Linh said. “There’s still too much racism back home. I want our daughters to escape every kind of
5. The public authority shall possess the right to safeguard domestic tranquility and public safety and to regulate all armed and police forces. However, it shall possess no right to suspend, infringe, or otherwise abrogate individual freedoms and rights. There is no right to possess or use any weapon or tool except as authorized by public authority. Military service shall not be made compulsory.
6. Every person possesses an equal share of nature that is to be used and preserved. The harvesting of natural resources and the taking of animal life shall be regulated by public authority.
7. This compact shall be sworn at the commencement of every public meeting and may not be abridged.
After ratifying the new charter, everyone signed the document with commemorative pens and official copies thereafter were sent to the ship’s captain for delivery to officials in Geneva and Moscow. Unsigned copies were provided to every member of the state and the original draft was safeguarded by the professional staff for permanent archiving.
With a government formed and its ideals established, the community decided it was proper to celebrate—and a party was decreed by unanimous vote. Cases of Napa Valley’s finest wine were pried open and served with hors d’oeuvres. The staff psychologist—a petite blonde in her thirties with narrow hips and perky hair named Janine Erikson—lectured as Chardonnay and Chianti were poured into commemorative goblets. After every glass was filled, she led the toast.
“To our teachers for their wisdom,” Dr. Erikson said. “To Ryan for his vision. To all of us for the courage of our convictions. Cheers!”
“Cheers,” the audience thundered.
Celebrations continued well through the night.
5
Post-California Dreaming
Most emigrants gathered to party in a decorated cargo hold, except for several groups congregated for private celebrations on deck and a few couples who remained in their own cabins or nearby passageways. Among the former were a wiry Asian and his wife—who sipped sodas where the passageway to their room opened to the deck. They stood hidden in the shadows as they spoke in unbroken and unaccented English and occasionally checked into their cabin.
“They still sleeping?” the man asked his wife as she returned from one of her forays into the room.
“They’re still pretending to sleep,” the woman said with a laugh, “but they’re listening to the party. I heard them giggling when I opened the door.”
“I dread the teenage years,” the man replied.
“They’re not here yet.”
“Soon enough.”
“Do you think this will be a good place for them to grow up?”
“Better here,” the man said, “than Inglewood.”
“Or Michigan.”
“You’re right about that, Linh.”
“I always am.”
Now the woman pointed toward the stern. “It’s loud down there.”
Her husband nodded.
“I like the smell of the sea,” the woman said just before she pointed across the deck to a canvas-covered boat nearly as long and wide as a freight car. “Is that an imperialist landing craft?”
“That it is,” Viet said with a laugh. “It’s called an LCVP. They used them at Normandy. And in the Pacific.”
“Vietnam?”
“I read about a couple landings. Not often, though. They had helicopters to use against us.”
The woman rolled her eyes. “Us?”
“Well,” her husband said, “against my father.”
“He died an American ally. Like my father.”
“It’s ironic,” Viet said after a pause.
“How’s that?”
“My father fought the Americans and became a boat person to get to the United States. He brought me to Los Angeles and now I’m sailing into the Pacific to escape America.”
“It’s worth a chance,” Linh said. “There’s still too much racism back home. I want our daughters to escape every kind of
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