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]

"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."

[chaotica]

He waves that away, one-handed. "A prerequisite for either."

[ancientstalker]

"Care to clarify which one, or would you have me guess?"

[chaotica]

"Honestly, does it even matter?"

[ancientstalker]

"I will say that life on-board tends to get a bit... mundane." A shrug of his shoulder. "I ask for the sake of simple curiosity."

[chaotica]

"Then yes." His casual attitude hasn't changed, but there's something sharp in his expression. "I've been a counselor for thirty years, and I'm an expert in xenoanthropology and first contact situations."

[ancientstalker]

"Xenoanthropology?" How interesting. Legitimately. "I take it that's a rather complicated subject."

[chaotica]

"Well, what gave you that idea?" asks Cambridge, deadpan. "Could it be the endless and infinite variety of sentient species in existence? Or the fact that I'm a genius?"

[ancientstalker]

"Well, if it's the second option, then you're pretty arrogant, too." Orlin points out, sounding amused.

"The variety of accessible species in this universe, so far, is much more than my own, though, so I conceed the first point, also."