“Kit… you made it. I’m glad,” John said, as he helped her to her feet. Sometimes time jumps could be a little rough, give you a little vertigo, or make you heave. She was taking it pretty well, considering this was probably only her second jump or so.”We’re meeting friends here. Its kinda our rendezvous point, for now anyway. let’s go”

“Wait a minute, didn’t I leave before you did?” She asked, just a little confused.

“Times funny that way, but it don’t matter much. You’d have met me here one way or another. Cause I’v been here before see,” John explained.

“No, I don’t, don’t think I do,” she replied

“You’ll catch up sooner or later. So don’t worry too much about it right now. Everyone else should be just ahead. We been using this abandoned warehouse as a go between. Come on, in here.” John hurried her into the building. There was light inside, which was good because it was night time and would otherwise have been pitch black. the light seemed to be coming from a lantern of some sort, and the building seemed to have been abandoned for quite some time, if not for the area currently in use by an old man sitting at the table upon which sat the lantern. The trapping, immediately surrounding this space, suggested it was being used as a camp site. There was bedding, a fire pit of sorts, what appeared to be an assortment of scattered personal items, such as combs, books, and other odd bits. A few such items were strewn across the table as well, though they seemed to be just a bit more meticulously placed. “Kit, meet Doc,” John introduced her to the old man sitting in the chair.

“Pleased to meet ya, little lady. Names Holiday, but everybody just calls me Doc, on a count of I’m the one that does most of the patching up round here.” Doc stretched his hand out, and Kit took it.

“Sorry, I still don’t really know what’s going on here. I just need someplace to get away from those things for a while,” she said.

“Now, that’s certainly understandable. But you shouldn’t have ta worry none bout that here. At least not for a while still, I hope,” Doc responded. “So I’ll try an explain a little bout all this. Let’s see if we can’t get you fixed up straight. I guess… I should aught ta start telling you a bit bout myself. See, I’m what they call an Innate. Now the difference between me and someone like John there, is that I actually know who I am, or rather who I was. See, an Innate Travels, as they say, at the time of their death. Now, If they should survive the moments of their departure from the world they knew, well then they get a clean slate. There’s some terms and conditions, of course. But we can get to that shortly. The point is, the Paradox ain’t really caught their scent yet, and their’s ways to keep it that way. In fact, it puts us in a rather unique position. You see, we can act as anchors, and set up way stations, like this one,” as Doc explained, John served up some coffee that Doc had been brewing. “The thing is, as long as an Innate never creates their own Paradox, then they simply don’t attract the attentions of those sons-a-bitches, pardon my french. You may not be aware of this, but traveling forward in time can be a bit trying for most. The disorientation, the sickness, it can become overwhelming… to the point that a travelers body simply refuses to jump forwards out of fear of it. But an Innate was born to jump through time, to Travel, and they just don’t experience the stress of it. Now you have to understand, each of us has a time signature. At least that’s what I call it. This signature marks your ballast point, your center, from which is determined whether one is moving forwards or backwards in time. So anytime after the time of my death is fair game. That’s where we get into the terms of my exalted state. See if I were to travel back before the time of my death, any action I take could create a Paradox, and well nobody wants anymore of them things mucking about. Not ta mention the problems it would cause for yours truly, and the folks which rely on me… But I bet you wanna know how I got the name Doc, seeing as to how you been eyeing my six-guns?”

“Oh, no… I wasn’t” Kit started nervously, or perhaps a bit embarrassed.

“Don’t you worry none,” Doc chuckled. “Ain’t no harm done. Its only natural, considering how beautiful old Betsy and Charlotte are. I bet you thinking one of these must be my Sentiment… my Time Piece, as they likes ta call it. But no, actually that leads right into why I’m called Doc. You see, this here little doohickey is it… that precious thing that we must each of us hold so dearly to.” Doc pulled out a very high-tech looking handheld device. “This here thingy saved my life, so I kept it.” Doc took a moment to admire it, as if he were remembering some distant affair. “Yep, see an Innate jumps forwards from the very first. Now sometimes they don’t get no further than a few hours, or days. But others times, well they can jump quite a ways. Fortunately for myself, I jumped into a very distant future. Why it didn’t take them but a few moments to patch up the bullet holes running off with all my blood. Heck, I was so far off, I don’t even think they had any idea what Betsy and Charlotte even were. Anyway, just before I found my way out of there, I swiped the gadget they had used to patch me up. And well… this thing can do just about anything when it comes to patching up a nasty piece of work. It scans and treats all manner of wounds. Best of all, it don’t never seem to run out of charge. Now I’v seen many things in my days, after all I was just a young lad of 24 or so when I first jumped, but I ain’t never seen nothing to match old pearl here. I mean, she really is the envy of old Betsy and Charlotte. Now, I can see the confusion in your eyes. John here probably told you that the Time Piece had to be something from your past. And while that’s certainly true for most, it ain’t the entire truth. You see, a Time Piece represents strong emotions, and moreover its an object out of time that tells you something about yourself. Its Sentiment really, a memorabilia, a souvenir even… which helps you focus on the true nature of your existence. An Innate usually acquires this revelation during their first Jump, right around when they start to realize what’s going on. Of course, not all of us pick up on things so fast… if at all. But it helps when you jump so far ahead of your own time that anything else seems down right unreasonable. Anyways, just rest up here and get your wits about ya. Just don’t go messing round outside. Any scavenging ‘ll have to be done in another time period, or it could attract the Paradox. But anytime you’re in trouble, need to lay low, or take a load off, just remember old Doc, and come pay us a visit. I’ll keep a cot warm for you. And don’t be shy bout bring old Doc a present or two, to spruce the place up, really any supplies ‘ll help.”

“Thanks. By the way, where did John go,” Kit asked, as she finally noticed his absence.

“I imagined he jumped just after he gave you that coffee. But don’t worry, he ought’ta be back any second now. That’s just how Travelling works you know. I mean with this place its in and out. people always coming and going. He probably figured you’d stick around a bit, get some rest, and maybe meet the others.” Doc explained, without the slightest hint that anything worth mentioning had occurred. Just then the door opened. “Speak of the devil and he shall appear. You see, here he comes now, and it looks like he brought something useful this time… no offense little lady.”