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

[engineermage]

Perhaps in his favor, Kale actually thinks about what Cambridge says. Time travel and time lines and things like that really aren't his forte. Most of what he knows about those things he's gotten from his brother the science fiction nerd.

The idea of Britain actually being in charge of Eire for any period of time is absolutely offensive and it shows a little bit on his face. Also the pretentious part.

"Yeah... okay... I think I got that now because Eire was never under Britain's control," he said before adding, "This place is really weird."

[chaotica]

"Then the divergence goes back quite a few centuries," says Cambridge.

It is in Kale's favor; unfortunately for the sake of the conversation, Cambridge is moody, startled and taken off-guard, and not looking forward to reporting to the commander of the Federation's flagship. He's avoided actually officially important duties like this for a great deal of his career. He only even makes an effort on his appearance (shoes unscuffed, uniform relatively unwrinkled) out of earned respect for Voyager's captain.

Besides all of that, he's in the singularly unenviable position of 1) knowing that what he has seen and heard, if placed in the ears of certain officials, could avert actual billions of deaths, and 2) knowing that, if he does all of that wrong and the timeline unfolds too differently, the entire multiverse could collapse.

Yes, he's already thinking about changing the timeline. He works quickly.

"Your name?"

[engineermage]

"Yes. Apparently," he snorts softly. He's still amused at the idea.

Wait until Kale brings up magic...

Having been in the military and not really much for following rules, Kale would completely understand. And he would also understand the desire to change the timeline to save lives - as long as it doesn't erase his world, of course.

"Kale McCallum," Kale says, offering a gloved hand. Interesting, perhaps, though Kale has mentioned his father is king, he doesn't use 'prince' in his introduction.

[chaotica]

"Any particular method of address?" prompts Cambridge, taking it. "Your Highness, perhaps?" Your Majesty, of course, being reserved for the monarch him/herself. "Or is it just too awkward interacting with those who choose a representative government?"

[engineermage]

"Kale's fine. I grew up in my mum's family and they have a very healthy disregard of royalty. They see the need for it and will fight to keep a good ruler on the throne but they just... believe as if they're more important than the royal family." He scratches his head briefly and looks apologetic.

"It's... a symbiotic relationship to keep the land healthy. The McCallums protect the land and the royalty tends to it. One couldn't do their job without the other... and they both think they're better than the other. I'm probably not explaining this very well."

[chaotica]

"Fortunately, I don't really care," says Cambridge, blithely. (Honestly, in other, tamer circumstances, he'd probably be interested in the cultural development of an alternate Ireland, but he's a bit preoccupied right now, and won't allow himself to be too distracted.) "Is there some typical way of coping with time travelers around here?"

[engineermage]

Fortunately Kale takes this in good humor - he's the good twin after all - and doesn't give a bit of a biting remark.

"Apparently they're keeping us all in quarantine and then once we've had our check ups we get to meander around the ship." He tilted his head briefly. "Since it looks like you belong in this world - the uniform is somewhat similar - you might want to talk to the people in charge. Um. The captain is Picard, if I remember correctly."

[chaotica]

"Captain Jean-Luc Picard, yes." Cambridge is looking around, distracted. Presumably at least one crewmember in here informed someone in charge when he arrived, as that sort of occurrence, if it warrants quarantine, is important.

But 'quarantine' can't be precisely the right word, can it? Medical quarantine, at least, involves level 9 or 10 force fields and isolation.

Cambridge, at least, isn't much danger. He doubts there's any pathogen he's picked up and carried in the fifteen years since this date that would affect the ship at large. Furthermore, any disease in the past is probably one he would already have had exposure to. It's the ones from hundreds of years ago that are the real risks: they could carry diseases since eliminated, such as herpes or smallpox or immunodeficiency virus.

But most of that is relatively easy to deal with. The medical facilities on the Starfleet flagship wouldn't have much trouble with outbreaks of conventional disease.

So, why any kind of quarantine? Probably an effort at keeping the newcomers under control: enough freedom to feel out the lay of the land, so to speak, but not enough to cause any trouble. A reasonable and prudent gesture, if there are too many arrivals to monitor individually, and, additionally, if there is no reasonable way to send people back - in other words, no other way to keep them placated.

Cambridge sighs.

"Enterprise D, then," he says. "Not far back enough for Rachel Garrett."

[engineermage]

Yup. To keep the newcomers under control! Though they do later get to go through exams as well. Yay!

"I have no idea who that is, so I'll take your word for it. But I did hear some people say it was the Enterprise D," he said helpfully. "Um...around..." and he rattles off the Stardate.

[chaotica]

"Well, then, that makes it-"

Cambridge stops, abruptly, and visibly pales. Wolf 359. It hasn't happened yet. Obviously, it hasn't happened get, given that it was in 2367. But it's approaching. And: rapidly.

He sits down, not terribly gracefully.

[engineermage]

Kale's response?

He pulls a flask out of his coat and offers it to the man. It's some Damn Good Whiskey. Very strong. Really, insanely strong.

From what Kale can tell, this man is clearly familiar with this world - their uniforms are similar enough and he's heard of the captain. So, there had to be something about the date that got to the man.

"Are you okay?" he asked in concern.

[chaotica]

He plucks it out of Kale's hand, gives it a sniff - ah, alcohol - and then takes a half-mouthful.

"Ooh," he says. "That's wonderful." He considers himself something of a connoisseur. He proceeds to take another nip, before passing it back.

His jaw stays tight, though.

[engineermage]

"My mum's family makes it. They've been making it for the past four hundred odd years now." Kale is more than proud of this fact. "I'll have to see about trying to make something like this here..." he then added putting away the flask.

Apparently no one has told him that making stills isn't a thing he should be doing yet.

Not that this would actually stop him.

A rule like that is for other people.

"But... apparently not quite enough."

[chaotica]

"A bottle wouldn't be enough."

He needs to figure out how much he's willing to alter the timeline, and - quickly.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spots a couple of security officers enter Ten-Forward.

"Probably my cue," he says. "I'll be taking my leave, now."

[engineermage]

Kale notices the security guards and gives the man a nod.

"Good luck!"