"I guess not," he says. "I'm from ..." He lifts his hand and waves it, vaguely. "A long way from here."

He's still not sure precisely where they are, but wherever it is, it's a hell of a long way from Tarn-Vedra.

"But I know some things. From, uh, I'm guessing you're from Earth."

And she's right; he hasn't heard of the book she mentions, and she gets an apologetic shake of his head. This whole experience must be a hell of a perspective-changer for the people here from the past. He, at least, deals with different planets and cultures on a just about daily basis.

"For what it's worth, the exams aren't too bad. They're just looking to vaccinate us, check we're not carrying any nasties from other timelines or universes. Scan us so they can treat us if we need it."

Record the genetic makeup of any Heavy Worlders they find.