The End

"The Chapter Ends."

"He entered the ship and the door closed behind him." (p. 213)

That is our last sight of a Galactic in the Psychotechnic History. There are just over two pages of text left in this story and in this future history series.

Jorun, who has just entered the spaceship, has been our consistent viewpoint character throughout the story. However, after a double space between paragraphs, the action remains on Earth. Consequently, the narrative point of view necessarily shifts to Jormt, the one person who has remained on Earth. 

Jormt has more than enough frozen food for his remaining lifespan. He wants to keep busy by maintaining three farms but to what point? I would not have opted to remain but, if I had been somehow left behind, then I would want a library, places to walk and somewhere to meditate. That last is easy: bedroom, living room, somewhere outdoors - but there is also a steepled stone chapel.

Before the departure, there was mention of a priest and his God but we are not told what kind of monotheism has survived this far into the future. The Terrans call sea waves:

"...the horses of God." (p. 201)

(My wife's aunt says that she saw horses and riders in the waves.)

"Chapel" and "steeple" imply Christianity but could be just Terran words for a small place of worship.

A murmurous wind talks in the trees and another wind mumbles in the hedges but otherwise there is total silence. Jormt screams and runs in the dark when his self-imposed isolation hits him and that is an unfortunate conclusion to an interesting future history series.