AU Milliways

[therighttime]

The door opens from one pub to the next. A rosy-tinted, warm little English pub filled to the brim with uniformed soldiers and local girls, crowing and laughing and being alive, really feeling it for the first time in longer than any of them would like to admit.

The woman who is leaving that particular pub is tall - very tall, inches over six feet - shapely in her 1940s olive dress uniform. Her make-up is fresh, her tie in perfect order, her hair is even curled in classic victory rolls (it took three showgirls three hours to make it happen, but they're all used to it by now).

Stephanie Rogers is grinning, flush-faced and filled with joy as she waves to a dark-haired soldier at the bar and steps purposefully into -- another bar.

She recognizes a shift, a difference immediately, and keeps one hand on the knob even as she frowns thoughtfully at the room around her.

Comments

[thebesteverseen]

Oh. That at least is a reference he does get. Naval history he does do. When it might give him a second glance at her rank insignias. Which haven't changed as much as everything over time, but they have, too. Every modernizes with it's era's.

"They were an earlier precursor to the SEALS, same with the demolition units."

There's no hesitation to the shift. "When are you from?"

[therighttime]

Right. People can come in from anywhere, any-when, they'd told her. It just hadn't really sunk in, not right away.

"1943," Steph answers, shoulders back, her eyes just that much sharper on this man's face, taking in his reaction. "It's November.

"And you?"

She could add a 'sir' to that. It wouldn't be out of place. But if she just happens to outrank him, giving him an address of respect just because he's a man won't work out well for her.

[thebesteverseen]

The reposturing and preparation isn't lost on him, but doesn't need any reaction. At her words, though Steve's mouth firmed sympathetically. No wince and no undo want to coddle or soften his approach rose him. She was a soldier back where she came from, and she deserved to be treated as such. At least she had a drink coming. "2012. Spring."

"The SEALS, for Sea, Air, and Land, were created in the early '62."

[therighttime]

Blue eyes widen, just a touch, a soft breath inhaled. They'd said future, they hadn't said how real it would sound, how the people from it would look, sound, be so close to the people she knkows now.

1962 is nearly twenty years away. 2012, nearly seventy.

"That's a quite a leap for me, Mr. McGarrett. Must be something."

[thebesteverseen]

She takes it with grace at least, while he's taking about pull on his beer, and nodding. "You're the first person I've met from that far back. And it's Commander. Or Steve. Steve's fine." Is with something dryly amused. "Mister is reserved for people talking about my father."

Which is probably the most generic reference he'll ever make to anyone about his father. Who was always referenced usually by name, as well. Or suspects who are stupid enough to try to annoy him after introduction. It was, at least, something Danny had been wise enough to avoid.

[therighttime]

Ah. So the earlier title wouldn't have been amiss after all. Still, better to know.

"Sounds like 'sir' might work as well, Commander," Steph admits, smile friendly. The wait-rat returns and Steph's smile is just as kind, thanking the creature as she takes her glass, and in that lift, a small sip as well.

"All of time and space in one small bar, I wouldn't think 1940 would be so rare."

[thebesteverseen]

"If you like." It's not here or there. He's only been back in a few days from the last six weeks spent in the field in Japan, where it was Rank or Rank and Surname and nearly no one that said his name. Except on voicemails he wasn't returning, but did listen to nightly. In fact a lot of it, was remarkably like all of his life before he'd made Five-0.

"I haven't been here long enough to when most people are from. My partner's been coming for a lot longer. For most that I've gathered so far, the greater percentage of people who are brought in here around from completely different times and worlds."

Which was still an insane set of words, those last ones, to feel or hear himself saying to someone.

[therighttime]

"It's not the time that worries me, really," Steph admits with a slow nod, glancing over her shoulder to take in the rest of the bar. "Multiple worlds, universes, all that space... okay, I read some Princess of Mars, but still. That's a little harder to wrap my head around."

[thebesteverseen]

Steve doesn't recognize the book title, but with seventy years of difference he's not surprised about it either. It's something to considering looking into later, when she isn't sitting here. Especially when he's nodding, lifting his bottle in a very relaxed sort of toast. "Touché."

His gaze followed hers, as he took another drink of his Longboard. "There's nothing like this seventy years in the future either. I didn't believe it at first, but they're rather convincing when you point it out." Almost too pushy and helpful when it came to it.

Being convincing things were real, did not actually mean he had the slightest faith in it all.

He'd believed Danny, but a lot of it was still very messed up when you considered it being real, too.

[therighttime]

"Oh, I'd be locked up in a minute for talking about it back home," Steph agrees. It's not a joke, though it's phrased like one. She meant for it to be a joke.

It's just that these days, a lot of folks are looking for reasons to get her out of the field. If she works hard enough, they'll do more damage than good by getting in her way just because she's a woman.

"So no flying cars or alien visits in the future?"