INTERMISSION: Lunchtime in the 24th Century

Posted on Thu Jun 6th, 2024 @ 6:05am by Lieutenant Commander Rin & Josef Forstinger & Teevs Dosivi

Mission: Season 6 HIATUS
Location: Arcadia Bar, Deck 4, USS Elysium
Timeline: MD 1 - 03/03/2398 - 13h00
2149 words - 4.3 OF Standard Post Measure

It had been a little while, and Josef was finally cleared to roam the ship freely-or well, as a Civilian anyway. Ever since he had been rescued by the Crew he had confined himself to his Quarters, barely leaving unless necessary. Well, this time it was necessary. He was hungry and had to go out to get food.

He still wasn't sure how but got told he could receive some from the Bar on the 4th Deck. And so, after a bit of struggle figuring out how to work a turbolift, he finally made it to the Bar, which was filled with other people. Obviously, he would stick out from the crowd, not dressed in a Uniform nor "common" fashion from the time, just wearing a white tank top he had washed and a pair of jeans, as well as his combat boots. He, however, was now washed and groomed. Running Water-thats something he had missed when in the field, or kept as a slave.

And so, he made his way to a Food Replicator, having watched others take food from it. And so, tried his luck. Standing in front of it for a second only to realize nothing was happening.

"Uh, Food." he said towards the machine, only to receive a negative beep in response. Confusing him a little. He didn't like this, it felt like he was being stared at. Cmon, it cant be that hard to figure out.

"Food."

Another negatory beep.

"Sustenance", and the same again.

Now he was just starting to feel stupid, visibly growing slightly agitated. Muttering to himself "Come on, I was able to figure out explosives and equipment worth millions-futuristic piece of junk...."

"It wants to know what kind of food you want," Rin said, stepping up beside him. "Tons of traditional Earth foods are programmed. What would you like?"

For a second, Josef looked at Rin, as if trying to ascertaine if she wanted to bullshit him. But, giving it a try "Porkchops with Mashed Potatoes." he tried, remembering for a second a memory from back then-of a friend. Quickly suppressing it though as he watched the hot plate appear from seemingly nowhere but light

"And this isn't one of those....holograms ? I'm told you can't eat those." He says as he picks up the plate and inspects it.

"Perfectly edible," Rin assured him. "Replicators reorganize matter on a molecular level. What you have is a combination of proteins, fat, other nutrients. It is, in fact, a porkchop. Holograms are basically a combination of light and forcefields. A holographic porkchop looks and feels like a porkchop, but... is not a porkshop. Consider it a really, really convincing picture of a porkchop. Does that help?"

"I guess it does ? I understand. Sorry but this still all feels like feverdream. Reorginazing Molecules, Aliens, Forcefields. Its like someone stuck me into a book or TV series." he banters a bit standing there. In secret, maybe he wished it was, it was all just a bad dream. And he'd wake up back home in his old appartment....or in a hospital bed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude, my name is Josef."

"I'm Rin. I was part of the team that rescued you. This must be very disorienting. We could talk over lunch if you'd like some help getting up to speed on the 24th century."

"Sure. And Disorienting is a way to put it. It is, and sometimes I feel like a toddler. Its like I can't work the simples technology...and people stare like I am a Caveman or escaped Museum piece..." he grumbled a bit as he took a seat by a table.

Rin ordered herself a taco salad with extra salsa and joined Josef. "I'm sorry they've done that. They're curious. Sometimes curiosity becomes rude. What can I offer that would help? And would you be willing to share a bit about your life? So I have a better understanding of where you are coming from."

"I guess it's the same curiosity as if a savage caveman would show up in my own time. Its no secret what I've done in the past, or down with as the slavers pet. Doesn't make me exactly a popular guy." He comments. Digging into his food.

"I was born on Earth in the Alps. Had a perfectly normal childhood, loved my parents and had everything going for me. Until some freaks decided to make a superior human race. Got myself conscripted with my friends. Watched them all die brutal deaths, almost died myself and went through 4 years of hell only to awaken 400 years later and have to bash in some aliens skull before he does it to me. At least until you picked me up."

He says it all with a chilling non-chalantness. As if desensitized to it all. In reality his psyche was heavily affected by all of it. He just tried not to show it.

"I was born on a spaceship and was kidnapped by aliens attempting to build a superior race who filled me full of cybernetics," Rin casually indicated the implants on her left hand. "I understand you feel very isolated at the moment, but I think you'll find more in common with people than you might expect. We still have war. Huge, almost incomprehensibly destructive war. And we have lots of people scarred by it, both soldiers and civilians. People will tell you how we've found a better way, but the fact is this is a highly capable military vessel. It just happens to also have comfortable couches."

After dropping off Kerilia with some friends, Teevs decided to visit the Arcadia Bar for lunch. As he picked up his bowl of lusoma --or as close as the replicator could get it-- he looked around for a seat. Spotting a familiar face, Teevs approached Rin, recognizing the other humanoid from the shuttle. "Miss Rin, may I join you and our guest?" he asked, looking in her general direction. He, like the others on board, were curious about this humanoid from the past, and it was evident in his smile to Josef.

"Just Rin, please," Rin replied. Then, looking to Josef, she continued: "Would it be ok for Teevs to join us?"

"Guess I got lucky with who woke me up then, I only had to break in a few skulls of things I barely understood and thought impossible hours ago." he replies, going to take a sip of water as he had also replicated just a glass of...plain water. Some would say a boring choice, but for him it had been too long since he had actual clean water.

"And comfortable couches is an understatement. This thing feels more like a damned city to me-even bigger than the one I used to live in. And you think I wanted to fight ? I originally wanted to be a History Teacher....never thought id become History- but that was abandoned even back...then." he felt weird saying it like that.

However, he perked up as Teevs approached. "Go ahead." he commented, pointing to one of the free seats, going back to just eating his food.

"Oh, I didn't mean you wanted war! I'm sorry," said Rin. "I meant you're not alone in some of your experiences. Sounds like you went through hell even before you were kidnapped. We understand that experience."

Rin gestured vaguely around the room. "as far as the couches...we are fortunate that the Federation includes a number of resource-rich worlds, and we've found ways of sharing that among our member planets, and even with some of our neighbors. Replicator technology has also been a huge boon. We can't replicate everything, but there's a lot we can. Food, for example. Materials for shelter. There's less to fight about when needs are met. Earth went through some really dark times. You've experienced it. And unfortunately it got worse before it got better. But it does come out the other side, and it's flourishing."

"I've been reading a little about Earth history," Teevs commented, scooping up roughly equal parts rice and meat with his spoon. "It seems like the world depended on... I believe it was 'capitalism', a governing through control of resources?"

"A little more complicated than that," Rin commented. "But yes, the control of resources was a highly influential part of pre-warp Human society. Earth isn't even resource poor. But those who possessed resources often horded them, gaining control over people who needed them. Does that sound correct, Josef?"

Of course, Josef had expected to be asked questions about the past. I mean, he definitely would if he ever met someone in the same situation. However, he didn't expect such...complicated questions. "Well-uh, yes. It is a lot more complicated than that. Alot more. Think of Capitalism as the use of currency in exchange for labor or resources. You needed Money to buy Clothing, Food, Gasoline, a place to stay-practically anything. It was just another fact of life. Goverments bought resources too, for when they did not naturally occur in their borders-may that have been Salt in the Medieval Times, or Raw Oil in Modern Times." he tried to explain the best he could. "As for me, I mostly spent it on Food, Rent, and Leisure." he checks his pocket, and pulls out a small little coin with an inscription. It was Golden, although aged by time. Sporting a 1 on one side, and a Edelweiss on the other. One the side with the number was enscribed "REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH" under it "SCHILLING", before showing a year of issue "1965". Hed hand it over to Teevs to inspect. "My Wallet is still in my quarters. Though, I guess my Drivers License has sadly expired long ago."

Teevs accepted the tiny metal disc curiously, turning it over in his fingers as he inspected it. The inscriptions were similar to the Federation Standard he was learning, but to him it was illegible with the funny dots and the way it was etched into the metal. Given the topic, he guessed this was the 'money' he was referring to, and how historic Humans traded for goods. "I suppose it makes sense to trade these ores for goods. A standardized weight of metal holds a certain value, and the more valuable the goods are, the more of these are required." Giving it one more look-over, the Lonian set the coin on the table between them, in case Rin wanted to inspect it too. "Many tradesmen here do a similar thing, but with credits or other resources."

Rin picked up the coin, briefly inspected it, and returned it to Josef. "I really am sorry about what has happened to you. What other questions do you have that we can help with?"

As Josef took the coin back. Giving it a flip with an audible ding, and caught it. Revealing the Heads side up. Before promptly returning it to his pocket. "You don't have to be sorry. You're not the reason I ended up here in the first place. I assume I'll have plenty more questions in the future. But the most pressing one is what I'll do next. My education is severely outdated and I don't plan on making myself a living museum exhibition." He commented with a dry almost self depreciating humor. Though which also revealed a part of his worries.

"What did you want to do before conscription?" Rin asked.

Josef huffed remembering back. "Teaching. Though after all of this, I am not sure if that's it anymore," he remembered back, how much new history was there now? Not only of Earth but all kinds of Cultures and Species. "Maybe ill just join up with Starfleet. Perhaps see Earth again."

"Take your time. There's no rush to finding your place here," Rin assured him. "Maybe just take some time to catch up on things. Find out what interests you in this new world."

"Yeah. Take Time." Time, that's what got him in this mess in the first place. The people here seemed understanding-but still, everything felt Alien. And despite the food he was eating, he was starting to realize, even it tasted-ever so slightly-off. Having finished his plate, hed stand up. "Well. Thank you for the Conversation. But I must get going now. Hope you two have a pleasant day." he hesitated on the last part, for he was not entirely sure what time of day it even was, his whole internal clock was messed up. But with that, he went to exit. Perhaps back into the Solitute of his Quarters.

After Josef had exited, Rin sighed as she looked back to Teevs. "That could have gone better," she admitted.

Teevs watched the Human go, a pang of sympathy for him. "He is going through a very large transition. You are correct in that it will simply take time."