arrival . ota

[chaotica]

Hugh Cambridge is partway through an analysis of an artifact - an old one, part of an extended paper that he'd never finished - when the transition comes.

At first, he assumes the ship's entered some sort of anomaly, and he turns away from the viewport (the stars have shifted, how odd), his hand moving to his combadge. A quick touch, and he starts, "Cambridge to -"

This isn't Voyager. In fact, this is the Ten-Forward of a Galaxy Class starship, unless he misses his mark. Populated with a few handfuls of people, some out of uniform, some in uniform, but those in are wearing the style that was in use twenty years earlier. Cambridge's uniform has shoulders of a grey-purple, and the turtleneck inside is medical/science blue. His combadge is thinner and sleeker.

"- Oh, bugger," finishes Cambridge. It's an illusion or it's time travel - neither of those bodes well.

Comments

[ancientstalker]

An observant one. Orlin's interest is somewhat piqued. He lowers the PADD he's holding.

"Well, then. You seem to be the type to know if I say the letter "Q," to know what I may be talking about." His bland tones seem to come off slightly amused. "And, believe me, there are people more lost than yourself at the moment."

[chaotica]

Cambridge's shoulders sag.

He sighs.

Q should really know better. Cambridge was/will be involved in events that really were quite fragile, and altering even background factors like his presence could be catastrophic. For everything.

"A state to which I am accustomed," he says. Being surrounded by lost idiots, that is. "Bloody Q continuum."

[ancientstalker]

"I wouldn't worry too much. A being like Q has the ability to rectify any damage to the timelines..." A pause. "Assuming, of course, we're in the same timeline."

He's going to reach for a PADD.

"Which is something I have yet to have determined. I am aware, however, of Starfleet's Temporal Prime Directive, so, feel free to abide by it. The universe hasn't collapsed in on itself yet."

[chaotica]

"Not all damage," murmurs Cambridge. He remembers very well Q's - all of the Qs' - helplessness in the face of the expanding Omega Continuum. Certain events that were never supposed to happen, but they did. If anything was altered, such that Captain Eden, or such that Admiral Janeway, wasn't present - the casualties would be beyond the human capacity to fathom. Perhaps even beyond a Q's capacity.

[ancientstalker]

"I take it you'll be hoping for the alternate timeline option, then?" Orlin asks, glancing up from his PADDs. "I understand your concerns, though. Time travel was banned by my people in my universe for this exact reason."

[chaotica]

"Starfleet does ban time travel," Cambridge points out. "Involuntary transportation through timelines is simply a valid legal defense to the charge."

He crosses his arms. "And the Temporal Prime Directive is nothing more than wishful thinking. There is no inherent virtue of one timeline over another. Even the one I came from only boasts the dubious virtue of, in this case, being the one I came from."

[ancientstalker]

"Time is a tricky thing to master." Orlin comments, setting down one PADD, raising his gaze up to Cambridge. "Everything about it is convoluted and twisted. The one thing we can do is make sure our timelines run smoothly... Once we're aware that time travel is a possibility to us, of course."

And another PADD is picked up. "You are right, of course. Who are we to say that one timeline is better than another, other than it's ours? But that is the most important difference."

[chaotica]

"I disagree," returns Cambridge. "In fact, I think my personal preference, and my personal memories, are negligible."

If he could create a timeline where billions weren't lost to the Borg, and where the multiverse did not end, then he would choose it, even if that meant that he would never serve on Voyager. Or meet Seven of Nine. His personal happiness, weighed against the numerous razed colonies, slaughtered civilians, destroyed ships... There is no comparison at all.

[ancientstalker]

Now, that... gains Orlin's attention. His eyes get fixed on Cambridge, curiosity showing through the bland façade he's been showing until now. He shifts, turning to face the other man a bit more fully.

"What would you count as more significant?"

[chaotica]

That at least got Cambridge a response. Now he can start getting the measure of the man in front of him.

A half-shrug. "Practically anything," he admits. "The overall balance of lives, political stability, quality of life, advancement of science and exploration..."

He reaches out and picks up a PADD, at random, perhaps one of the ones he already saw Orlin studying.

[ancientstalker]

It was, and Orlin doesn't object. What Cambridge will find on the PADD is a set of extremely complicated energy conversion equations.

"And what about the risk? The potential that changing one thing for the better could alter something for the worse? Or thousands of things for the worse?"

[chaotica]

"Undoubtedly, that is exactly what any given change will do." Which is why it is any time traveler's responsibility to act conscientiously and carefully, and why the Temporal Prime Directive is as good a rule as any for an organization made up mostly of idiots.

"Is this an attempt to upgrade or to interface?" Cambridge hasn't the foggiest idea how to tell the difference.

[ancientstalker]

"Then how do you know one timeline is better than the other? Even with an abstract perspective?"

Orlin smiles slightly as the equations are recognised.

"It's an experiment. Purely hypothetical."

[chaotica]

In Cambridge's experience, the phrase 'purely hypothetical' never actually means purely hypothetical. Especially in the realm of equations.

He drops the PADD back onto the table.

"Often, one wouldn't know," he says. "Other times, it would be patently obvious. And other times still, the judgment would be based on intake and processing of data below the conscious level. With the number of variables, how would you know becomes a pointless and farcical question, impossible to answer in the abstract."

[ancientstalker]

"Then what would be the point?" Orlin asks, leaning back. "If the changes, sometimes, can be inperceivable, but end up to, say..." He picks a scenario out of his head. "The entire Federation becoming a conquering force instead of a force for peace over the course of a few thousand years... What would be the point in changing something for the immediate good?" Another PADD gets selected from the spread on his table. "And, ultimately, if you decide to change the scenario once the affect is realised... when would you stop?"

[chaotica]

"Your scenario assumes time travel technology as easily accessible," points out Cambridge. "In that sort of situation, it is best to stay away from it altogether. Any change you want is probably mirrored in its exact opposite by something someone else wants, and before you know it, you have a time war on your hands, with each set of opponents trying to wipe the other from history. It's the inevitable consequence."

[ancientstalker]

"By my research, your method of FTL provides a simple way to time travel to, at least, the past. Granted, there are several risks involved."

The light-speed breakaway factor, used by the USS Enterprise and the HMS Bounty are the top articles, there.

"If we're taking into account the lack of simple time travel methods, then why go through the effort, again? If it's hard to achieve, and there's a question that what you change may, in fact, turn out to harm your original intent more than progress it... What would be the point?"

[chaotica]

"I didn't go through the effort."

He's just here.

And while he's going to be exquisitely careful about the timeline, that doesn't necessarily mean he won't do something about what he knows is coming.

[ancientstalker]

A thoughtful noise, there.

"No. Neither did I. I simply have the fortune of being in a different universe."

Cambridge is going to be an interesting one. Perhaps life on-board this vessel was starting to perk up?

[chaotica]

"So it's non-issue for you," says Cambridge. "For you, this is a purely intellectual argument."

[ancientstalker]

"It's interesting to see how people think sometimes." Orlin replies. "You don't need to worry, I have no intention of interfereing in how this universe runs." Much. Cambridge hasn't seen what's on the other PADDs yet.

"You showed interest in my research. Is that something you're interested in?"

[chaotica]

"No," says Cambridge, simply. He really isn't. "Merely the outlook of someone who is stranded from his home, has access to complex and advanced science, and seems to view his own culture as superior."

[ancientstalker]

"Mm." Orlin shifts in his chair. "Astute observation. I take it you're a psychologist?" It's an educated guess, and one that avoids Cambridge's observation.

[chaotica]

"I could just be an avid student of behavior, alien and human," Cambridge points out. Avoiding an answer, similarly.

[ancientstalker]

"Or you could just be nosy."