You quickly unbuckle the restraints and stumble toward the rear compartment, the time machine's metal floor still radiating heat from the temporal jump. The hidden panel hisses open to reveal your emergency wardrobe - carefully researched replicas for various historical periods. Your fingers brush against the Renaissance section, pulling out a bundle of rough-spun wool garments: a padded doublet, linen shirt, and hose that look suspiciously tight.

As you struggle into the unfamiliar clothing, you catch your reflection in a polished brass panel. The outfit transforms you into a moderately wealthy merchant, complete with a ridiculous floppy hat that keeps slipping over your eyes. A leather pouch at the belt contains period-appropriate coins and a folded letter of introduction from a fictional Venetian trading house - standard temporal operative precautions.

The peasant girl hasn't moved, still gaping at your machine. You take a deep breath and activate the camouflage protocol. With a series of mechanical clicks, the time machine's exterior shifts to resemble a large covered merchant's wagon, complete with fake wood grain and peeling paint. It won't hold up to close inspection, but should explain your sudden appearance well enough.

Stepping through the hatch, you're immediately assaulted by the rich smells of 15th century Italy - woodsmoke, manure, and the sweetness of overripe grapes. The girl finally finds her voice as you approach. 'Are...are you a demon?' she whispers in thickly accented Italian, making the sign of the cross. Her simple dress is patched but clean, her sun-kissed face framed by unruly brown curls escaping her headscarf.