"Any world lost is a tragedy," Rhiow said. "And we're neighbors, even if we're very distant neighbors as time counts it. I'm from New York - one of the colonies, although I believe discovery of the new world is a bit beyond your time as the ehhif count it. Myself, I come from 1998." She put her whiskers forward a little. "Normally I wouldn't be speaking with you at all, in an attempt not to contaminate the timeline - you understand." Rhiow was used to this time travel concept, even if time travel was strictly restricted in her world.

The Whisperer rumbled at the back of her mind, and Rhiow's tail twitched. She knew the Powers had a very dim view of cross-timeline interaction, but it couldn't be helped aboard a ship like this.