In the Wrong Space and Time

VI

AS I SHOVEL THE LAST bit of garlic bread into my mouth, I stand and excuse myself politely.

"Sorry, everyone, but I've got to get back to my office - I've got to work on my newest blueprints. We have to win this war," I add as a dark afterthought.

The others chuckle discreetly at my enthusiasm to get back to work, and I shoot them a sharp glare. "Yes, yes, I'm a nerd. That has been long established," I say impatiently. "I'll see you all at dinner time, alright? Well - 'bye," I push in my chair and set off for my office.

As I walk through the halls of the Barracks, my brain instantly plays back to the time we had at lunch. In all the three years of my working life, I had always spent my lunches alone. That was the first time I shared a meal with my colleagues, and to my horror, I find that I had actually enjoyed it.

I blink in alarm. Everything in this universe really is different... my coworkers in the normal universe would probably rather die than have lunch with me. Tch. I'll just have to not get used to these nice colleagues, then - I can't afford to get attached.

I find myself outside of my office door in no time, and I enter the room, diverting my thoughts to the latest crazy scheme I have cooked up. Settling down comfortably on the ergonomic chair, I flip open the laptop. The computer screen blinks to life, and displays the words: Enter password.

I hesitate. What is the password? Would it be something unique to my alternate-timeline counterpart, or is it something that both Carolines share? I hum in contemplation, then I finally decide to enter the password that grants me access to my desktop in Switch Pharmaceuticals.

d-a-n-c-i-n-g-i-o-n-s-2-2-0-5

It's a rather childish password, using the amalgamation of my passions for that ever-impractical performing art and for the field of chemistry, and my date of birth. But apparently, it is the password that unlocks this computer.

My eyebrows go up in surprise. I see some things do stay constant, after all.

I click twice on Google Chrome's multi-coloured icon, and once the page loads, I type "universities offering advanced engineering near me" into the search bar. I have to learn as much as I can in order to make sense of the books and blueprints around me, and what better way to learn than to return to school?

I scroll through the search results, eliminating courses and universities through a myriad of determining factors. Finally, I find one particular institution that offers advanced engineering, is in a fifteen-minute-walk vicinity, and fulfills all my general requirements - Brunel University.

I click onto the university's webpage and follow a redirect link to read more about their Advanced Engineering postgraduate course.

Our Advanced Engineering Design MSc degree is described as 'the doorway to industry'. It is for high-calibre, ambitious engineering or science graduates who wish to gain expertise in developing complex, multidisciplinary engineering design.

The focus of the course is to provide you with advanced theory and skills to give you the essential expert knowledge needed for a career as an advanced designer, a design team leader or a researcher in innovative engineering design working in a computer assisted environment.

"Sounds good to me," I shrug and skim through the next few paragraphs.

experience the whole design process from initial concept to final design and manufacture...

guest speakers from industry...

group projects, furthering your ability to work in a team...