video; un: kirk

[winscenario]

[ Yet another new face to greet the network, and likely not for the first time, it's the face of someone who's clearly bent over backwards to try and figure out where he is and how he got here. To no avail, evidently. He's stranded, pretty much, he's managed to figure that much out.

But that's not even what's the most puzzling about all this. You see, traveling across the galaxy has made him more prone to accept that he can get snatched up, either on purpose or by accident, or even that he might trip over some dimension-breaking wormhole and end up in an alternate reality.

At least this one doesn't have another version of him (so far), so there's that.

But anyway. Onto trying to figure some things out, at least. ]

This is Captain James T. Kirk, of the USS Enterprise. I understand that likely means nothing to most of you, if not everyone, but I'll make it quick: the Enterprise is the flagship of the United Federation of Planets, operated by Starfleet, from the 23rd century, year 2263.

[ He'll skip on explaining the Federation or Starfleet for now. If anyone asks then he'll get into more detail. More pressing matters, though. ]

My ship is here, but my crew is not. Not unless I'm missing something, and if anyone can tell me where should I go to look for them, then I'd appreciate it. I... welcome the help of the Eluvio crew being on board to help me run my ship, [ No he doesn't. ] but I'd much rather have my crew, as you can likely imagine.

[ He sighs quietly, a show of frustration more than anything else. ]

On an unrelated note, would anyone mind taking a couple of hours to explain to me how currency works? I'm not... used to handling it. I'm crap at it too, if we're being completely honest. [ Seriously, does he really have to have a job? Ugh. ]

Other than that... well, I guess we're all stuck here, so I'd like to get to know everyone to some degree. So hit me up and let's chat sometime.

[ There, harmless and vague enough. And with a friendly smile, he leans in to end the feed. ]

Comments

[winscenario]

[ Luckily he's fluent. Not quite as well-versed as Bones but that's practically impossible anyway. ]

No doubt they are.

[ He just hopes they're not driving themselves crazy looking for him. ]

Oh, just plain old Earth. Iowa, born and raised— well, raised. Born in outer space. And yes, countries still are a thing.

[indigo5a]

..........

[ Long bit of silence ensues as she thinks about what she just heard. Iowa? Not that she's got anything against such a small state, but she highly doubts that anyone would bother to create multiple versions of such a place. ]

You're from the future?

[winscenario]

[ He lets out a soft chuckle at the way she poses her question, voice lilting a little. ]

Depends on what's your definition of 'future'. 2263 is the present for me. So it's a matter of perspective. What year are you from?

[indigo5a]

[ She gives a grunt at that. Okay, so maybe she walked right into it. ]

2016. Didn't think the 'anomaly' worked across time, too.

[winscenario]

Bending realities and reaching across different universes does tend to be more complicated than time travel, so frankly if these anomalies can do the former, the latter doesn't seem all that unlikely. Time travel has happened in my own universe, for instance, even if it's not exactly a common thing. Not yet, anyway.

So yes, I guess I am from your future. Or... a possible future, anyway. You never know how these things work when it comes to alternate realities.

[indigo5a]

[ This space-time shit, it can mess you up. At least she knows it's not completely crazy. She wonders about alternate realities. Finch's Machine could calculate infinite possible scenarios in seconds. Each of those a possible alternate ending.

Though she doubts it could ever foresee this one, for her and for Root. ]

Hn. And what's the future -- your present -- look like? Don't tell me it's some kind of hokey utopia.

[ What with no-money existing and some such nonsense. ]

[winscenario]

[ Crossing realities does seem to be taking things a touch too far. And in a world where anomalies like these just aren't a reality, it's normal that even the most sophisticated of machines couldn't predict something like this. Probably a good thing, too. There's more than enough trouble going around without having to worry about tripping and falling into an alternate universe. ]

Not sure I'd use 'hokey', but something like it. The United Federation of Planets is by and large a peaceful alliance that encompasses several worlds, species, governments and cultures. Of course there's some tension with a few groups or species, but that's always to be expected— though nothing like war or anything of the sort. Currency's no longer in use within Federation space, either, not since replicators have come into common use.

[ Jim shrugs a little, pursing his lips. ] Not sure what else you'd like to know about it, but go ahead and ask if you have any questions, and I'll do my best to answer.

[indigo5a]

What's a replicator? Like a 3D printer?

[ She's not exactly sure how such an invention could dispense with the need for capital. After all, you can't just create something from nothing. If someone did invent such a thing, that would be even more impressive than The Machine. ]

[winscenario]

[ He offers a chuckle at that. ]

Nothing quite that simple. A replicator's a machine capable of creating and recycling objects. You can use them to get just about anything, from food and drinks to clothes, machine parts, even weapons. So long as a specific object's programmed into the computer, then it can be created.

[indigo5a]

[ Sounds like science-fiction to Shaw. But someone might have said the same about an all-seeing AI who could predict events in the future. ]

What does it draw material from? Thin air?

[winscenario]

Among other things, yes. [ His lip twitches; he can tell she's being sarcastic but his answer, to a degree, is a truthful one. ]

Replicators recycle any items you can think of and break them down to the smallest particles, then reassemble them to take the shape of whatever material you want, provided the matrix is uploaded into the computer. So technically it can use thin air. Or trash. Food leftovers, what have you. Lavoisier's law taken to the ultimate level, if you will.

[indigo5a]

Hm.

[ It does seem so ecological and efficient and utopian. Shaw is skeptical. ]

You can replicate Scotch?

[ Priorities, she has them. ]

[winscenario]

[ Jim laughs. Well, he can't really fault her priorities there. And it reminds him of someone he knows too, so. ]

Yes, thankfully. Any kind of drink you can think of.

[indigo5a]

[ Hmm. Still dubious, but curious too. ]

Heh. And your ship ... does it have replicators on it?

[winscenario]

Yes. Sadly, but not surprisingly, they don't work here. A number of features are disabled. [ Much to his annoyance. ] So if that was your way to ask me to get you a drink, sorry to disappoint you. I've got to pay for it like everyone else here.

[indigo5a]

[ She gives a snort that answers that suggestion. She was more interested in the magical printer, but if it makes you feel better... ]

I guess I'll have to live with disappointment, [ she says dryly. ]

[winscenario]

[ Sorry Shaw, he also cannot print you infinite weapons.

Her answer gets a faint chuckle from him. ] Right, you sound thoroughly disappointed about it.

[indigo5a]

[ No weapons? Now that's a damn shame, isn't it? ]

What? This is my devastated voice. [ Doesn't it sound like it? ]

[winscenario]

[ Well he does have a few phasers on board but he's not about to go around handing them over. ]

Your devastated has a pretty sharp sarcastic edge to it.

[indigo5a]

[ That would be smart. Don't hand over weapons to random folks ... they might be sociopaths. ]

Does it? No one's told me that before.

[winscenario]

[ He chuckles again, shaking his head behind his communicator. ]

You remind me of someone. Sarcasm-wise, anyway.

[indigo5a]

....that's not a pick-up line, right? [ if so, very cliche. ]

[winscenario]

[ That gets a soft laugh out of him. ]

What? No. Trust me, you'd know if I were hitting on you. I'm not exactly given to subtlety. [ Also he has other things to worry about right now. ] I did mean that. Reminds me of my best friend.