Martha Jone's Handy Dandy Guide to Timeline Confusion

[treadstheground]

Since I had a fair bit of experience with time travel and other miscellaneous weirdness before I arrived in Glaxcin, I thought I would take this opportunity to lay out a brief introduction for those who are still confused. The most important thing to remember throughout this is...

DON'T PANIC

The Warden doesn't seem to be particuarly picky about when he takes people from within the same dimension. This actually isn't cause for concern. Time travel is relatively harmless when compared to the interdimensional stunts he's pulling. The timelines are mostly going to just be cause for confusion. This can be readily avoided by establishing early on when people are from. Unless your companions are used to time travel (in which case I imagine you would have skipped over this in the first place), it's probably better to ask a new arrival what the last thing they remember is rather than a blunt "When are you from?" Nothing muddles a conversation quite like a multiple year difference in memory.

Which brings us quite neatly to the next point I'd like to emphasize...

SHUSH WITH THE SPOILERS

It's really for the best to not tell people about any major developments. The overall timeline is hard to do anything dangerous to, but personal timelines are another case entirely. Especially don't tell anyone that they're going to die. It's just going to cause a lot of premature grief.

Dopplegangers

Thanks to the Warden's interdimensional antics, there have been cases of prisoners from different places looking identical. So if someone comes up to you swearing you're their girlfriend, odds are neither of you are crazy, you're just used to someone with the same face. And if you think you just met yourself, don't worry, the universe is not going to explode.

If you have a more specific situation than is covered in this rough guide, please feel free to come talk to me about it and we'll see what we can work out.

Comments

[ginger-temp.livejournal.com]

Well, best to avoid touching each other until after you've established that you and your doppleganger are not, in fact, the same person. Blinovitch and all that.

And really, best to avoid speaking even general timelines if you can. Unless you're a time sensitive and have a knack for sorting out the important bits, you'll never really know what you could be changing.

But otherwise, perfectly sensible advice! I particularly enjoy your taste in literary references.

[slvrbrgrebelle.livejournal.com]

I think this is helpful, Doctor Jones. Right now, the only person from my world here is my brother, but should others arrive, I will keep your guidelines in mind.

[multiranger.livejournal.com]

Great guide Dr. Jones. I'm sure Time Force would appreciate you keeping the laws of space and time intact. I know Jen would REALLY not like to mop up many messes in our timeline at least.

Considering I'm the furthest of all the Rangers here...I'm in the most danger of doing some major damage...but I assure you I'll keep everything that i can on a need-to-know and not mess up the universe basis.