Log Entry 160312.173

I scuttled behind T'Roc desperately trying to keep pace. I wasn't sure if I should just drop back and give her some time to cool off or to follow her, but thought the latter wisest for the time being. Besides, where else would I go? I suppose I could have wandered around the gardens for a time, but that didn't seem right somehow. So I followed her back into the palace and up the stairs to our room. I wasn't even over the threshold before she let rip.

"You really have no idea what you've got us into, do you? You are such an idiot at times! The worst thing you can ever do is try to cover up the fact that you haven't been paying attention. Your mind wandering is bad enough, but then you try to wash over it! Have you always been this stupid?" she screamed at me, although it wasn't really a scream. T'Roc had an uncanny ability to yell without raising her voice above a loud whisper. I must learn to master that technique some day.

"More or less," came a voice from inside the room. Surprised, we both turned to investigate.

Sitting on a chair in the corner was a Dirrian. Even sitting down, I could see that he was taller than your average Dirrian but he had the unmistakable and characteristic pale skin and dark hair of his race. He smiled smugly at us. We just stared at him.

"In answer to your question, Captain, yes, she has more or less always been a bit stupid. I don't know what she's done this time but I don't suppose it's any worse than any of the stuff she did as a kid."

My eyes widened. Could it be? Was it? If it was, he had changed almost beyond recognition. Traeth had been a small, puny child with pimples and a permanent sniff. This young man was the complete opposite. Still small and thin compared to humans, he was healthy, athletic even, and his skin was like alabaster: flawless, smooth, perfect.

" Traeth?" I ventured.

"Well, how many other Dirrians did you spend your childhood with?"

I was so delighted to see him, I forgot all about protocol, and all about to T'Roc. I ran past her to greet him, throwing my arms around him as he stood up to welcome me. We laughed; we embraced like the long lost friends that we were. I had never imagined that I would see him again. Even coming to Dirria, his home world, I had never assumed that we would meet again.

"You've changed so much," I exclaimed. "I hardly recognised you," I said.

"And you haven't changed a bit," he replied, pushing me to arm's length so that he could study at me better. "Now, let's see if I can help you figure out of this mess."

Ah, yes. The mess.