Chapter 1: The Island That Wasn’t There

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Episode summary

A blank patch on the official map sends Ada, Kit and Mina to a lookout. What they see changes their first survey assignment.

Transcript

Page 1

Panel 1: Ada, Kit and Mina gather in the harbour map-room. Floating islands fill the window.
Ada: "First survey day. One map, three apprentices. What could we possibly forget?"

Panel 2: Kit holds up an emergency biscuit. Mina smiles; Ada looks unimpressed.
Kit: "Breakfast. But I brought a biscuit for emergencies."

Panel 3: Mina points to an empty patch on the map.
Mina: "Where's Brindle? My aunt lives beside its lighthouse."

Panel 4: Ada holds the chart while Mina looks through the window.
Ada: "The new chart says there's nothing there."

Page 2

Panel 1: Mina points towards a light outside.
Mina: "Then what's that light?"

Panel 2: Kit starts towards the door; Ada reaches after him.
Kit: "To the harbour wall!"

Panel 3: Captain Sora stops them beside the cordoned harbour wall.
Sora: "Use the marked path. The wall is closed."

Panel 4: The children examine a harbour route board with Sora.
Ada: "Lookout: (4,2). I'll check the order."

Page 3

Panel 1: Ada studies the local harbour coordinate grid.
Ada: "Start at zero. Four across first, then two up."
Diagram: Coordinates name a point using an agreed order. On our grid, (4,2) means x=4, y=2. Moving islands and the Atlas Engine are invented. A real map can be incomplete or out of date. Seeing the lighthouse is evidence that something is there, but it does not measure exactly where it is.

Panel 2: At a fork in the safe path, Kit realises he has reversed the coordinate pair.
Kit: "I was heading for (2,4). That's a different place!"

Panel 3: Mina points towards the lookout pavilion.
Mina: "This way. Four across, two up. We can check the sign together."

Panel 4: Sora accompanies the children up the guarded path.
Sora: "Good. Coordinates help when everyone uses the same convention."

Page 4

Panel 1: At the lookout, Mina points to Brindle and its red-roofed lighthouse.
Mina: "There! The lighthouse with the red roof. That's Auntie's island."

Panel 2: Ada compares the chart with the visible lighthouse.
Ada: "But it isn't on this morning's chart."

Panel 3: Kit raises a pencil over the chart. Mina hesitates.
Kit: "So the map's wrong. Easy. I'll draw it back in."

Panel 4: Mina gently stops Kit from drawing an unmeasured position. Ada listens.
Mina: "Wait. We can see it, but we haven't measured where it is now."

Page 5

Panel 1: Back in the map-room, Sora unrolls yesterday's chart beside the new chart.
Sora: "Islands drift. Record the date."

Panel 2: Ada writes in her blue notebook while Mina watches.
Ada: "I'll record the unknowns too."

Panel 3: Kit puts his pencil down beside the map.
Kit: "Pencil down until we've checked."

Panel 4: Mina holds her red pencil to her chest. The lighthouse is visible outside.
Mina: "Don't put my aunt down as 'nothing'."

Page 6

Panel 1: At the harbour, Sora crouches to speak with the three apprentices.
Sora: "We won't. The supply boat skipped Brindle because of this chart. I'll take your report."

Panel 2: Ada asks to join the checking journey.
Ada: "Can we come? We should help check the mistake we nearly copied."

Panel 3: Sora leads the children towards the service boat.
Sora: "With me, after the boat checks. Careful questions, careful journeys."

Panel 4: Mina, Ada and Kit lean on the boat rail, looking towards Brindle.
Mina: "Hold on, Auntie. We're coming to find out."