I spent the majority of my childhood in a coastal town in North Carolina. The people there were just as proud of their Southern Heritage as they were with the seafaring roots many laid claim to. Blackbeard's ghost and the eerie lights of Nags Head were popular stories that most kids knew before reaching grade school. The Mariner's Tale was one of those stories that could be found displayed in local museums and on the back of menus for family owned seafood restaurants. I've always liked the story and found myself attracted to its haunting quality.

The tale itself is a simple one. A sailor is blown off course by an unexpected storm, lost in a harsh and strange landscape. Through ignorance, the Mariner kills an Albatross and dooms his ship and mates. They are chased by Death and the Mariner is cursed for his action. His crewmates blame him for the predicament and hang the Albatross around his neck so that he may feel the full weight of his guilt. Everyone around him dies, yet he is left to carry on, even despite attempts otherwise. He sees many strange things on his journeys, but remains lost and saddled with his guilt. Not until he is able to rid himself of the Albatross, does he have any hope of finding his way home.

I have only recently discovered Farscape. Currently a resident of Florida, I stood on my front porch and watched the launch of space shuttle Endeavor on December 5th. That same evening, I caught my first ever Farscape episode. I became obsessed. But the re-runs stopped airing shortly there after. So I scoured the net and was fortunate enough to find a plethora of great Fan sites. I've read all the transcripts, scrolled through hundreds of pictures, and watched every clip I could get my hands on. I've started getting the DVDs and can now count the number of episodes I've seen in the double digits.

Then I stumbled upon an interview with Ben Browder where he talked about how some of the plots for episodes were inspired by old, well known stories. My favorite tale came to mind, and as I thought about it, I was pleased to find parallels between the Mariner and the Astronaut. Hence, My Albatross was born.

Sunshiner