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

[magneticxman]

She doesn't like being studied. Lorna forums uncomfortably in her seat. He might have a good point. She simply doesn't know.

"That's not how it works in my time and I just don't know who I can trust, if anyone, except for the people I knew back home."

[chaotica]

"I simply encourage you," says Cambridge, "to be just trusting enough to allow them to prove themselves."

And if this turns out to be something other than the Starfleet he knows - he doubts it, not if the trappings are so similar, the immediate first impression of attitudes and emotions present in Ten-Forward - he will take that advice back at a later date.

[magneticxman]

It's a tall order. Lorna licks her lips and nods, though her expression makes it clear she's not so sure about this. "I'll try." It's all she can promise.

[chaotica]

"One of the wonderful things about sentient beings is that, as history moves on, we have chances to be better and better. Who's to say what a few hundred years can do?"

He glances up as a pair of security officers enter Ten-Forward, scanning for a new arrival.

"Ah, I believe that's my queue," he says, moving to his feet.

[magneticxman]

Lorna nods again, giving him a small smile. "Good luck. I hope you like it here."

[chaotica]

"I will not," he tells her. Even in mundane times, he isn't really built to be on a capital starship. He's not the type, duty oriented and perfectionist. And these are not mundane times. "You, on the other hand, have a more than decent chance."