He held up his translucent arms with a smile, the latter of which had the hint of regret about it. Would that he could, Herbert thought, but he was clearly missing one key prerequisite.

"I don't think these old arms are much use for rescuing the natives," he answered, his tone wistful, "but oh, what an adventure it should be. Why, if I were still corporeal, I should be the first on deck—and it's the Avalon that's sailing, the one that went missing for all those years...such an adventure..."