"You have my word, ma'am." He smiled a little, then nodded to her. "Let me clear some space for you, okay?" He moved a little closer, to grip a table, and move it slowly out of her way, then another, and as he did so, he spoke.

"We're in a time called the 24th Century by the dating of this time period and place, on what's known as a starship. Do they have such things in your time and place?" Alex glanced up at her quizzically.