The wrong Enterprise (open)

[tript]

Anyone familiar with the history of Starfleet - at least when it came to uniforms - would recognise that the man who appeared in Ten Forward was from two hundred years ago. His uniform was a lot like a blue boiler suit, with red stripes, three pins denoting his rank of Commander, and a lot of pockets.

Commander Charles Tucker III was confused. A moment ago he'd been on Enterprise and now he was somewhere else. It looked like it could be a bar, but the stars outside and the feeling beneath his feet of a warp engine, told him it was a starship. So this was a mess hall, perhaps. He didn't feel like he'd been transported. And if something had wiped his memory his shoulder would have improved. He moved his left arm experimentally in its sling. No, definitely no memory wipe and he'd definitely just been on Enterprise.

Trip unzipped a pocket and came across a hyper spanner. "I wondered where that went," he muttered to himself. He put it back and pulled out his communicator. Flipping it open he said, "Tucker to Enterprise." There was nothing - not even static. It was as if Enterprise was not in range, but if that was the case how did he get here? If only he had two hands free and the right tools, he'd take the communicator apart to check it was working. He tried it again, not really expecting an answer this time. "Tucker to Enterprise."

Comments

[dresdensluck]

"It's nice, the replicators here...devices that rearrange matter and energy, can make almost any kind of food or drink, within reason. Alcohol is mostly available here in the bar, but food and small stuff is available even in the personal quarters units."

Harry chuckled.

"Not exactly. I'm a wizard. Same field, just from a different perspective."

[tript]

"I've seen something like replicators before. Made me an amazing pan-fried catfish." Trip sighed happily at the memory. Even chef couldn't quite replicate that with the protein synthesizer on Enterprise.

But he ran his hand across his face before looking dubiously at the other man. "You telling me magic is real too?"

[dresdensluck]

"Yeah? Good. These shouldn't be too much of a leap for you, then." Harry hoped so, anyway. This guy seemed to be rolling with the punches and taking it in stride. Now if he could get over the magic hump...

Harry chuckled. "Yes. Maybe not where you come from, and maybe not normally here, but when Q brought people from different universes, he brought those rules with us. So I can still do magic."

He concentrated, and then spoke, casting a new spell he had been working on. "Infringis Fuego Minimus" And fire, blue and shimmering, bloomed in a ball shape above his fingers, but cold, and not harmful. Harry held it out for the other man to see, and flicked it into the air, where it hung.

[tript]

Trip watched the fireball, wide-eyed, then stood up to get a closer look. It did look an awful lot like the other man had conjured up blue fire out of nowhere. It looked impossible, based on the laws of physics. Yet Trip had seen it with his own eyes.

"Any advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." That would explain it.

[dresdensluck]

Harry slowly let it fade. "And the opposite would be true as well, would it not?" He grinned at the other man, amused and intrigued at his ideas.

"And that is not the point. The point is, here, a lot of people, from a lot of different places and times are gathered. You'll probably see a lot weirder than that before long."

[tript]

"Perhaps." If this Q decided to bring T'Pol here, or send him home, he'd definitely have to mention magic to her. She was sure to not believe in it.

"I have seen a lot of different places." He sat back down, now the fire was gone, and sipped at his beer. "And met a lot of different people." Times not so much, but most of the people around here looked human.

[dresdensluck]

Harry nodded. "Then you should do fine here. I've been here a few months, and so far the worst thing we had was a few misguided Klingons invading and causing some ruckus."

Harry smiled. "Hungry? The replicator here makes a mean hamburger and fries."

[tript]

"Klingons do tend to cause ruckuses." He chuckled. The invasion must not have worked, given that everyone here looked happy and Klingon-free.

Trip shook his head at the question. "Not really. But you go ahead. I'll stick to the beer." Which he raised slightly, and then had a sip of.

[dresdensluck]

Harry shook his head. He had just asked to make sure the other guy was doing okay.

"So, any questions, in particular?"

[tript]

"Hard to know where to start," he said, with a chuckle. It was all so hard to belief it seemed simpler to just accept it and worry about it later. "Do you think they'll let me work in Engineering?"

[dresdensluck]

Harry nodded. "I think so, in time. Might have to vet you, and of course there might be a learning curve, to get you up to speed. But they are offering classes in modern stuff, as well, so i think it likely they will be willing to bring a Starfleet officer up to speed."

He grinned at the man. "Assuming that is a Starfleet uniform." It was just enough alike the others to make him hope.

[tript]

He looked down for a moment. "It is. I guess they've changed a bit in two hundred years." Judging from the people in here who looked like they were wearing uniforms, it had changed a lot. Or they weren't in uniform and fashions had changed quite a bit, it was hard to tell.

[dresdensluck]

Harry nodded. A small part of his brain wondered if they had ever made series about this man's ship. He shoved that aside and smiled.

"Probably, if you talk the Captain or the Chief Engineer, they can get you squared away, and maybe working again soon."

Harry nodded. "They might even need your help. The engines were damaged some during that attack I mentioned."

[tript]

Trip's eyes lit up. It made it look like he was happy about the engines being damaged - in reality it was the idea of them needing his help. "I can do that." He had a swig of his beer. "They might put me to work on some insignificant systems, but I'll learn how the engines work on this ship."

[dresdensluck]

"Like I said. check in with the crew. It might take a little time to, you know, verify you are who you say you are, but that should be all it takes."

Harry smiled at the man.

[tript]

He nodded and smiled in return. "To work," he said, holding his glass up in a toast. "And beer."

[dresdensluck]

"To work! And to beer." Harry laughed. Maybe this guy would do well here. Harry would keep his eyes open, and try to help when he could. But it looked like this one was ready to go.