James Buchanan Barnes was sitting alone in the cargo bay of River Song's ship. In his right hand, he held a small device which he was using near the elbow of his metallic left arm. The silver cybernetic appendage was connected to his body at the shoulder, the red star that had once adorned it mostly worn away. Blue sparks of electricity moved in waves toward his fingertips each time the device made contact.
If someone had asked Barnes how he ended up on this ship, he could not have given them the whole story. He remembered walking down a street in New York City and being approached by the man he would later know as Captain Jack Harkness. He remembered Jack giving a brief explanation about who he was and saying he needed Barnes' help. Something about rifts and time travel and the Earth being in danger. It was all sort of a blur now.
River Song had explained to him later that time travel could have that effect on people, particularly those who were not trained in navigating through time. It distorted memory, leaving the inexperienced with gaps in their own knowledge about themselves.
River and Jack did not suffer any sort of memory lapse. They both were experienced with time travel and had no ill effects. Surprisingly neither did Rimmer, but Barnes figured this was because Rimmer was a hologram and not actually alive.
Of their current crew roster, only Barnes and Malloy had encountered problems with their memories. Barnes knew the missing knowledge bothered Malloy, even though she mostly tried to find the humor in it. He, on the other hand, found not knowing everything about himself to be a reprieve.
Barnes had been a soldier once, before HYDRA had remade him into what he was now. He remembered enough of HYDRA to experience hatred when ever the name to mind. He knew HYDRA had made him do things, commit crimes that would have shamed the real James "Bucky" Barnes. Not remembering what those were lead to a quiet in Barnes' mind he was learning to appreciate.
His solitary occupation was interrupted as the cargo bay door opened and River Song stepped inside.
"Good morning, Mr. Barnes," River said cordially with a smile.
"Morning," Barnes replied, placing the device he had been using aside and extending his metal arm experimentally.
"Have you found everything you needed?" River asked, glancing in a case of tools sitting nearby.
"Yeah," Barnes replied, "I think so. Though I don't know what most of that stuff does."
River smiled and nodded, "I would guess not. Many of those gadgets weren't invented until centuries after you were born."
Barnes stood and pulled a long sleeved black shirt over his head. River watched him carefully for a moment before continuing.
"The computer has located a potential rift anomaly," River said, "I'd like to meet everyone in the mess hall in about ten minutes to discuss the findings."
Barnes nodded and started packing up the rest of his equipment.
"Ten minutes," he confirmed, "I'll meet you all there."
River gave a final nod and headed out of the cargo bay.
Barnes shut the lid of the tool case then flexed his cybernetic fingers. The sensation triggered a flash of unpleasant memory. Someone calling him "Bucky". Someone he had hurt. Barnes frowned and shook his head to clear it before following River further into the ship.
"Fan-smegging-tastic."
Arnold J. Rimmer sat at the mess hall table with his arms folded across his chest, looking as though the universe and all things within existed only to annoy him. Rimmer, along with the rest of his shipmates, had gathered at the oblong shaped table to discuss the computer's latest data regarding rift activity on Earth in the mid-1970s.
That and to eat space pancakes.
Sadly, Rimmer could not indulge in the battered breakfast delights since he was a purely holographic being. He did not entirely mind not being able to eat as it was one less thing to distract him from his pursuit of career excellence. Unfortunately, his current mission was to manage the young woman sitting next to him, who was uncouthly trying to speak through a mouthful of pastry.
"Oh, Rimmer, relax. It doesn't sound so bad," Rebecca Malloy said between bites.
"Not so bad?" Rimmer repeated with a scoff, "We're going to be chasing down horrific inter-dimensional monsters through the jungles of Vietnam during a war and you don't think that's so bad?"
Malloy shrugged, "Yeah, but we'll get to see Earth in the 1970s. That sounds pretty neat."
"Yes, wonderful," Rimmer said, "All big shoes and disco balls."
River Song smiled patiently as her guests spoke, waiting for the right moment to continue her review of the computer's findings. She rather liked Mr. Rimmer despite his pessimistic attitude. It was a strange contrast to Malloy, who was generally upbeat and positive. She did not really understand how Rimmer ended up being responsible for the young woman, especially given how dangerous River knew Malloy may be.
From the way Jack talked about it, there had been another Arnold "Ace" Rimmer in a parallel universe who was a great space faring hero. This present Rimmer had taken up those reins at some point and now was responsible for overseeing someone with an incredibly destructive power.
Jack Harkness was seated next to River, watching their holographic companion with growing agitation.
"More like crew cuts and army fatigues where we're going," Jack said, keeping his tone civil, "It will be 1973, there are still military operations going on in the area. Though the camp we're headed to is beginning to send soldiers back to the United States and shouldn't be involved in much direct combat."
Rimmer scowled indignantly and opened his mouth to speak again but Barnes chimed in before the hologram could continue his complaints.
"What happens once we get down there?" Barnes asked, "How do we locate the rift?"
"It won't be easy," River replied and activated a 3-D projection map of their intended destination, "The terrain would be a challenge without a war going on. We'll need to get better readings on the rift activity once we get to Earth and physically scout the area to pinpoint the tear."
The map zoomed in incrementally until the army barracks were visible. The crew could see some of the surrounding landscape, including a river that broke through the dense jungle.
"And when the rift is found?" Barnes asked.
"That's where Ms. Malloy comes in," River replied, keeping her face neutral so not to give away her misgivings about the young woman. The crew all looked at Rebecca, who returned their gazes with a bewildered shrug.
Jack continued the explanation, exuding his usual confidence, "Time rifts can be affected by surges of thermal energy. We used to control the Cardiff rift with a manipulator that could keep the tear stable. In this case, we plan to catch the rift at its genesis and use your powers to seal it. Before any horrific inter-dimensional monsters can come through."
Rebecca frowned, "So, we find the rift and I... what... set it on fire?"
"We'll need more like a mini-supernova," Jack said with a smile. River did not outwardly react to Jack's words, watching Barnes and Rimmer exchange uneasy looks.
"Can you do that?" Barnes asked Malloy, feeling tension in the muscles connected to his cybernetic arm.
Rebecca sat back in her chair and shook her head, "I have no idea. I mean, starting fires is one thing but... Jack, you're talking about some kind of controlled mega explosion and... and... I don't even know how... I wouldn't even know where to begin."
"Well," Rimmer said, extending the word for emphasis, "You have done it before..."
Rebecca stared at the holographic man and, after a moment, said, "What?! What do you mean I've done it before? I don't remember anything like that!"
"Of course you don't," Rimmer chided, "You've been all pudding brained since we arrived this time stream."
"And how am I supposed to do a thing like that when I can't remember how?" Rebecca asked, sounding slightly panicked.
"Your memories," Jack said, indicating both Malloy and Barnes, "...should begin to improve as we close in on the rift. And you can continue practicing your pyrokinesis with Rimmer while the rest of us locate the tear's source."
Rebecca raised an eyebrow, "You want me to train fire starting in a military base camp? That...doesn't sound safe. And wouldn't the soldiers all be wondering what's up with the girl shooting fire from her hands?"
Jack grinned broadly, "That's actually not going to be as strange on this Earth as one might think. River, can you bring up those news reports you found?"
River tapped her finger on a computer tablet before her and the 3-D map was replaced with a variety of television reports and newspaper headlines.
Mutant Menace Uncovered in Cuba ... Children to be Screened for Mutant Gene … Friends of Humanity Declare, "Mutants Abomination to God" … "Magneto Mutant" Uncovered as JFK Assassin … Mutants March on D.C. for Equality …
"What's a mutant?" Barnes asked.
"Apparently," River said without taking her eyes from the display, "It's the term used for people with mutations to their DNA which give them extra-ordinary abilities."
"So people like me?" Rebecca said.
"No," River replied at the same time Jack said, "Yes." Jack frowned, giving her a dark look.
River continued quickly, "That is... not quite. Your genetics don't necessarily explain why you can do the things you can do. However, since extra-ordinary powers are not deemed supernatural in this world, it would not be damaging to the time stream if you were accidentally observed."
"Wow," Rebecca said, "Sign me up and call me mutant then. I like the idea of people knowing I'm a fire starter and not freaking out like I'm some kind of alien invader."
"Still need to be careful, though," Barnes added gesturing at the news reports, "Seems like a lot of people in this world don't much like mutants."
"That's true," Jack agreed, "Which is why we've arranged to work with an army squad made up of mutants."
"And don't think being in a world full of bizarre people means you get to use your powers all willy nilly," Rimmer said to Malloy with a shake of his finger, "The training time table is going to be more vital than ever if we're going to get you in tip top shape."
Rebecca groaned and leaned her head back as Rimmer continued.
"I'll send you updates daily... no, hourly... if needed," the hologram said with exaggerated pride, "Space Corps discipline. That's the only way to keep a rag tag group of space adventures like us on the straight and narrow."
"Rag tag?" Jack repeated with annoyance, straightening his jacket as Barnes chuckled softly.
River gave Jack a sympathetic glance and placed a equipment case on the table. She opened it, revealing two leather bound wrist straps each containing a small computer screen and command buttons. These were duplicates of the machines River and Jack wore on their right arms.
"Here," she said, passing both Barnes and Malloy one of the devices, "These are called vortex manipulators. That's basically a fancy term for futuristic smart phone. They will allow us to communicate instantly or send a distress call to the ship, along with other functions."
"What about me?" Rimmer asked, "I won't be able to use my hard light form while I'm off the ship so I won't be able to touch anything."
"You won't be leaving the ship," River replied, "Rebecca will be able to project your hologram using her vortex manipulator as needed on the surface."
Rimmer looked abashed, "You mean you're leaving me here with..." He jerked a thumb at the ship, "...only that computer for company?"
River shrugged and smiled, "You'll manage, Mr. Rimmer. I image your time table revisions will keep you quite busy."
"Ah, yes," Rimmer agreed, "Quite right. We have a lot of work to do before it's supernova time."
Rebecca gave him a side long glare and plopped her chin in her hand before echoing his earlier sentiment.
"Fan-smegging-tastic."