"The way I see it, I deserve a dinner I don’t have to forage for.”
Connor smiled a little at Danny; his sense of humour hadn't changed much, and his remark resonated within Connor, knowing all too well how having no access to modern day food made you really appreciate having anything at all. Abby and him had survived on roots and other plants that they gradually managed to determine were edible or not through educated trial and error. They had tried to catch some of the smaller animals that had inhabited the area near the anomaly, but most of the reptiles provided flesh that was very tough and the small mammals were few and far between, out-competed in the natural order by the reigning reptiles.
"I hear that," Connor spoke up, looking at Danny, wondering how he had coped being alone for all this time. "I could do with a Pot Noodle!"
He sensed rather than saw Abby roll her eyes next to him, but he smiled goofily anyway, remembering that he didn't actually like Pot Noodles, but it was the most apt type of food he could think of; quick and easy. They had been back for a few hours, and in that whirlwind of short time he hadn't even thought about all the normal aspects of life he was now welcome to again. The year had made both him and Abby appreciate what they had left behind, and they had both sworn to never forget that once home. Now, though, Connor was suddenly filled with thoughts of food.
“When Lester’s finished here, we’ll find you something to eat. My treat.” Becker's voice cut strongly through the air, and Connor was quickly filled with that feeling of relief that Becker always used to bring with him; that feeling of despite there being some prehistoric giant creature wreaking havoc, he was always there with his big guns to save the day, albeit rather violently.
Connor didn't wait to be offered, and cut in as the soldier looked from Danny to him and Abby. "Mine's a 20 ounce steak, then! It's rare to see the soldier being so generous."
Becker's slight smile at them was even rarer, and Connor began to be hit with the realisation that they were home. This wasn't another one of his endless Cretaceous dreams where he'd wake up and be lying in the scrub of that forest where they had spent so many months. They were home and everything was going to be all right. Becker seemed different to Connor, despite the smile he seemed to be even more serious than when they had parted, but Connor thought that he himself was probably very different from then.
“A year’s a long time,” Becker's words popped from Connor's thoughts, and the student nodded back at him, his lips curling slightly into a small smile.
This smile quickly disappeared as Becker continued, and Connor saw his eyes glaze over and his voice take a strange tone. Connor's mind suddenly began to run riot, questions and possibilities spiralling out of control within his mind. Had they returned to the same world that they had left? Were these people the same people as last time? Had the done something in the past that may have altered things now just like Professor Cutter had experienced. He licked his dry lips as Lester spoke.
"Do you mind? I apologise if this official debriefing is a nuisance to you." he threw at the group, before letting his gaze drop as the situation at hand obviously tugged on his very short heart strings. "Actually, this can wait until morning. You can all leave now.
As the group began to disperse and the various staff members that Connor didn't recognise moved away from them, Connor dashed across the claustrophobic ARC to Becker, his face stern and his voice shrill.
"Becker, mate!" he said, his voice louder and shakier than he intended. "What are you talking about? Have things... changed?"
He looked the soldier up and down, stuffing his gloved hands into his pockets.