"Time for Tea"
"Damn it Henry, if you could warn me before the rough stops I'd be most appreciative."
"By all means I shall, Jenson, assuming they're expected, but that one was most certainly not."
"What do you mean? Where are we?"
"Well, if I were to hazard a guess. . .hmm"
"Well?"
"Yes yes, give me one moment to get my bearings would you Jens? I'd say. . .South America, early 20th century, give or take."
"1900? Did you say 1900 Henry?!"
"No I said 20th century."
"1900 or 2000, it doesn't quite matter does it Henry? You're still a good 2300 years off. Give or take. Not to mention on the other side of the world."
"Oh enough grumbling Jenson. You know damn well space-time is more complicated than that. Now, would you kindly step out with me that we might ascertain the problem?"
"Problem? What problem?"
"I've been flying this ol' buggy for 15 years, Jens. I can stop it on a dime the second it hits the ground. We stopped here because something must be gumming up the works."
"Oh please do not tell me we're trapped in ancient Brazil, Henry! I'd like to see my daughter's match before I turn 50!"
"I won't tell you anything until we get out and check. If you'd be so kind to calm down and assist me, Jens."
"Let's just hurry this along. No telling what ancient diseases these people might be carrying."
"Oh again would you hush Jens. You've been vaccinated from everything since you were 5. And they aren't 'ancient', we're only a few hundred years back."
"Don't remind me!"
"Now what could be the problem. . .would you hand me the screwdriver, Jenson?"
"Here. You know Henry we're starting to attract a crowd. I think it best that you hurry."
"I'll sort this out soon enough Jens. Then we'll be off and away from these fine 'savages'. . .I'm going to need the multi-wrench, if you would."
"Yes yes--here you are--don't get all high and mighty. You know plenty well what our ancestors are capable of. And we can't even explain ourselves, it's like they're speaking some sort of Latin."
"Well it's South America, Jens, I'd assume it's either Spanish or Portuguese. Hmm think I might have found something."
"Well how should I know. Maybe it's some pre-colonial tongue!"
"By god Jenson, we're in the 1900s, a good 500 years after European colonization. You'd think you'd brush up on a bit of your history if you were going to travel th--What's this!?!"
"It looks like a teacup, Henry."
"Yes it bloody well does look like a teacup. More the concern is why it's been jammed into the quantum calibrator!"
"Oh, actually, I think, well. Margaret and I were itching for an outing and, well, once you've taken the missus for a bit of a temporal jaunt it's hard to see much excitement in anything else. We just borrowed it for a bit while you were on you went to make more tea."
"I was gone for 5 minutes and you two ran of with my machine?"
"Come now, Henry, you know how these things work. Back as soon as we left."
"And the teacup?!"
"Henry, please. I am quite sorry but the locals seem to be getting a bit restless what with the yelling."
"How did a teacup get lodged in my machine Jenson?!"
"Well we left in such a hurry that Margaret brought along her teacup. She set it up on the control board and it must have slipped off when we made a rather rough stop in Versailles."
"And you never thought to take a look for MY missing teacup? The ones my gram gave to me before her passing?"
"Well we figured it had gotten lost in Versailles. . ."
"Have you not heard of the butterfly affect Jens?!"
"Now that you mention it, Henry, I would ask that you wrap up your work that we mi-"
"Will you calm down Jens! I've already finished the 'repairs'. We will be discussing this later but right now hop in before their constable makes it through the crowd. How was Versailles?"
"Oh quite lovely as alwa--"
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