As promised… next chapter tomorrow probably =D

Starlog 15, July 18, 2151

Lovely Vulcans. By all means, I didn't think that one day I could've said such a thing.

This morning I was in the Armory when I heard the captain's voice in the comm: "For those of you who aren't near a window, you might want to find one. There's something pretty amazing off starboard." There was a comet, an incredibly big and beautiful comet… and the Vulcan star charts didn't mention it! T'Pol also found out that the comet contained a rare mineral and so the captain had me and Travis land on the comet to take a sample.

Soon after we noticed a Vulcan ship approaching. I still don't know why it was there; they did absolutely nothing, other than observing our work and saving us. But later Hoshi told me that the Vulcan captain had dinner with our captain on the Enterprise, so I suppose they had political matters to discuss. Probably they're angry with us about what happened at P'Jem, and probably the discussion or whatever it was didn't work, because later crewman Quinn told me that the Vulcan captain was almost angry when he left.

-I've never stood on a comet before.- I told Travis in the shuttlepod.
-Has anyone?- he asked back.
-Good question. – I replied. Later we found out that we were actually the first Humans to set foot on a comet.
-I've only seen snow twice in my life.- Travis said, and I smiled. Snow was quite common in the North Yorkshire where I grew up.
-Well, then it's only fitting that we commemorate the occasion.-
-You mean plant a flag?-
-No, too predictable.- I snorted.
-Snowball fight!- he proposed. Travis' enthusiasm and constant awe towards new things were quite delightful and I had to smile again.
-The EV suits would take all the fun out of that.- I explained - We'll just have to see how the spirit moves us when we get there.-

When we landed, we quickly analyzed the ice and then prepared to set the charges; we had to drill the comet with our rig to take the mineral sample.

There was snow everywhere and Travis, playful as he always is, built a snowman. I burst out laughing and drew the eyes and a smile on the puppet's face with the plasma torch. I know it was childish, but what the hell! We always end up fighting with some alien, for once everything was well and we deserved a little relax. And moreover, this was the first comet we set foot on, we had to leave a trace of our culture!

Soon the captain called us and asked how was our work going. His voice was slightly annoyed and he reminded me that the Vulcans were observing us and that we had to make a good impression. I felt a bit ashamed, but just a bit, because I knew that in our place the captain would've done the same, if not worse.

-So tell me, who is the sculptor?- he asked me in the end.

-It won't be there for long, sir- I answered, a bit embarrassed.

We set the charges but then I couldn't help myself and I added two really huge pointy ears to the snowman; sadly, with the explosion our precious work would have disappeared. Travis laughed out loud, complimenting me., then we took refuge behind a pinnacle, waiting for the explosion.

I'd hoped I could do better; it wasn't very symmetrical but it was huge and deep enough for our necessities. We began drilling but soon we heard a loud thud and found out that a drill bit was cracked.

Travis scanned the crater while I replaced the drill bit.

-Magnesite- he said after a while –we hit a layer of it.-

We had just resumed our work when the captain told us that the comet's rotational axis had shifted after the explosion. Apparently we would've faced the star in about two hours, so we had to speed up; I didn't worry too much about that because the bigger part of the work was already done.

In less than two hours we were finished; we were about to leave when Travis slipped and fell in the crater. I had to help him up because his knee was hurt, but when we were already in the shuttlepod when the icy surface cracked and we fell.

At first the Enterprise tried to pull us out with the grapplers but it didn't work and we precipitated for another ten meters or so. I was slightly nervous: I feared that we would've precipitated again and I was fairly sure that the surface was going to recrystallize very soon, and in that case it would've been a lot more difficult to take us out.

Then someone hailed us. At first I thought it was the Enterprise, instead that was the Vulcan ship, the Ti'Mur. They took us out with the beaming ray and then we went back to the Enterprise without problems.

Travis, who was not used to snow and ice, was shivering: -I don't want to see the snow anymore.- he told me.

-Snow is not always like that.- I answered.

-I hope the Vulcans haven't noticed our puppet's ears!- he muttered with a soft laugh.

In all honesty I don't like Vulcans very much because they're always willing to lecture us and show their intellectual superiority to us, but recently I've asked myself if we are right about them. Of course that spy station on P'Jem did nothing to heighten our trust towards them, but I feel T'Pol is not like that. She is very Vulcan, yet I believe she would never do any harm to us and our mission.

I was heading to my quarters when I stumbled upon Commander Tucker.

-Congratulations!- he told me with a broad smile.

-What for?- I asked, surprised.

-The snowman, and especially the snowman's ears. They were great!- he explained enthusiastically.

-Too bad that he's been destroyed.- I answered with a laugh.

-Oh, but I took a picture! I'll send it to you…- he sounded almost delighted.

I burst out laughing. That photograph will be my trophy.