De Coursey Chimes in

"So, 1 o'clock would be 1300 hours by our time system."

“Hmm, in that case we might be given lunch!” muttered de Coursey happily. He was getting tired of the ship’s reconstituted fare.

She paused for a beat before she smiled again."Haven't you ever been in a history museum or gone to one of the old 20th century reenactment villages? They even have ones for the 19th and 18th century with mock battles! You should check one out!"

De Coursey grunted at the idea.

“Well, I took place in a re-enactment of a 20th Century Petrolium-car race once, and the damned thing was full of ‘farbies’ on hover sleds. I was the only feller on four wheels.”

Maddox cocked an eyebrow in the direction of Ashby, as Doctor Chadwick joined them on the bridge, "I'm not completely unfamiliar with the old style time keeping methods, but I just agreed to 'A one-oh-clock'... Does that mean I agreed to meet with Tinker at 1300?"

De Coursey didn’t answer, just muttered something about coming last and ‘popping his chute’ – whatever that meant.

"I wonder if communication with the Videns will prove to be this difficult for the duration of the mission?" Maddox thought aloud, "Perhaps we should carry a universal translator with us just in case?"

“Ah, we’ll be fine!” beamed the Commander, returning to the here and now “Ashby and I will translate better than one of those little whirring dervishes. I don’t trust a word they say anyway. Did I ever tell you about the time …” But his anecdote about the Android and the Translation Device was cut short by Chadwick’s appearance.

“You willing for a One-o-clock with the President of this rock, Doctor?” he chirped.

"So what strange, new world are we visiting this time?" he said to the group of senior officers.