Log Entry 160403.175

Preparations got underway very quickly. After all, there was no point in hanging about. T'Roc and I returned to the Earhart, and no sooner had our feet materialised on the transporter pad than she instructed me to select my team.
"My team? Aren't you coming with us," I asked.
She looked at me and laughed quite mockingly.
"No, this is your playtime. Pick your bestest of friends to amuse yourself with, get your kit together, have fun, stay safe and play nicely." She was being sarcastic.
It didn't take me long to assemble my team: Al, Luke and Rutter. That would make five of us with Traeth. Technically, Rutter is a little taller than I would have liked for the expedition, but his experience and training far outweighed any of those concerns. Anyway, Traeth wouldn't mind Rutter's height.
We arranged to meet Traeth in a little wooded area near the beach. That was as attempt to keep Traeth's panic to a minimum. From there we would stroll down to the beach and take a boat (replicated by the Earhart) over to the island. This was on Honker's insistence. I didn't approve, but apparently, he wanted Traeth to experience the whole seafaring thing in its entirety and then report back. I could see that this terrified the life out of Traeth, and I'm quite angry that the High Emperor would insist upon such a thing, bearing in mind this fear was so deeply inset into every Dirrian in existence. He didn't want to go, but he didn't care if he petrified another in his pleasure quest. However, I decided, for the sake of diplomacy, that we would give it a try. If there were any problems, though, I would abandon the boat idea and we would transport over to the island instead. There was no way I was going to torture my friend for some childish Emperor's pleasure.
We arrived in the little wooded area, which turned out to be not so little. Standing amongst the trees of giant tulips that stood thirty feet tall, I felt more like Alice in Wonderland than Jenny Terran, Starfleet Officer.
Traeth was waiting for us, looking somewhat pale as he squat by his little bundle of possessions. It wasn't a proper backpack, though, just a bindle. As we arrived, he stood up, picking up the stick and resting it on his shoulder. He reminded me of Dick Whittington.
Seeing the amount of kit we had, he apologised and looked quite shamefaced.
"No worries," I quipped. "Dirrians don't camp so we came prepared. We've even brought a backpack for you with some personal items in that you may not have thought of. There's room in it for your own stuff too. Come on," I smiled. "Let's get you sorted."
As we transferred Traeth's possessions into the backpack, I introduced the gang to him. He cheered up a little more with each hand he shook.
"I'd forgotten how friendly Humans are," he smiled weakly.
"I'm not Human, though," cut in Al in a friendly manner. "I'm—" and she stopped dead.
My, oh my! Was she starting to embrace her Klingon heritage after all?
"Klingon," I grinned, unable to resist the tease. "The word you're looking for is Klingon!"
Rutter and Luke smothered grins as Al glared at me.
"I know!" she barked.
Traeth nudged me. "It's just like old times!" he whispered loudly and looked truly happy.
With Traeth now more suitably equipped with a rucksack on his back and proper footwear (he'd come in sandals!), we set off. Traeth was now very chatty, expressing his surprise and pleasure at just how comfortable the pack was despite its weight, and the boots. How did I know his size for instance? I didn't let on that as I had stood next to him yesterday, I had compared his feet to mine. After all, does a magician reveal his secrets?

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