An Immersive Introduction

Zoë woke up screaming. Her eyes, her ears, were being bombarded with lights, with sounds. Abruptly it stopped.

"Oh, my apologies," Jack's voice cut in, "I have the calibration all wrong. Doctor Ling suggested that instead of letting you panic like you did last time, we just wake you up with a baseline of information."

There was a series of beeps, then, "Ah yes, here it is. Let's begin again."

Before Zoë could interject, the lights and sounds returned, this time in a much more sensible manner. She was hovering around three feet up over a green field. The air in front of her began to shimmer, then solidify into a middle aged man wearing a Victorian suit; top hat, vest, pocket watch, something out of a story book.

"While our records of your time are incomplete, the good doctor is fairly certain that this is an accurate representation of a familiar style of your era. She thought it best if you had a guide as we explore the world you are going to inhabit, that way I am available to answer any questions you might have."

"This is all more than a little overwhelming," Zoë said, trying to stay calm, "I mean, a thousand years, right? I can't even imagine what's changed, where to start..."

"Yes, exactly," Jack agreed with Zoë, "most likely more has changed than you could imagine. That's why I suggest we start with..."