A/N: Many thanks to everyone who reviewed this story! MarieChristine81, your comment made me take the suggestion in Fritz's log seriously and consider what might happen. This is the result: excitement in the final chapter. Thanks again and enjoy!
Personal log, Ensign Rose Platt, Stardate 56084.32
"Well, it was my turn to host a Klingon for the day. I was incredibly nervous while I walked down to the transporter room, but when I got there, everyone looked as nervous as I felt. It seemed like an eternity before the Chief announced that the next Klingon was "mine."
A really tall Klingon materialized on the transporter pad. Of course, even most humans look tall to me, but the Klingon was taller than all but one I'd met yesterday on the IKS Qpok. He looked at the few of us standing, his eyes looking sharp. He looked more intimidating than Wyget, but I reminded myself that the reason we hosted a different person than the person who hosted us was to further broaden the exchange. I suspect that, due to the diversity of the Federation, this is more for their benefit than ours, but I thought about broadening my horizons and took a deep breath.
I stepped forward as he moved off the transporter pad. "Welcome to the USS Charlemagne." Just in time, I remembered that we're supposed to ignore ranks. Most likely, we're paired with someone who holds an equivalent rank, but we're only supposed to use our names. Informality seems to be important to this; I bet it's because the Admiralty doesn't want us talking too much business. "I'm Rose Platt."
When I held out my hand, he shook it vigorously. "Roseplatt," he said, all one word and with too much emphasis on the ess.
"You can call me Rose. Platt is my family name."
"Rose," he repeated, much closer to the actual pronunciation this time. "An appropriate name for a human female."
Well, I wasn't sure what to make of that. "A rose is a flower on Earth, but people have been naming their daughters Rose for centuries."
"I am Gru'Kesh, son of Howroth. My father's father died honorably in battle. I was given his name."
By this time everyone in the transporter room except Chief al-Hazan, who hosted yesterday, was paired up with a Klingon and beginning to disperse. "Well, Gru'Kesh, would you like to see the ship?" The Charlemagne is in tour mode, with everything that could be sensitive, and a good many things that aren't, carefully stored away. We're cleared to bring our guests aboard the bridge, so long as we don't actually get to close to the stations and disrupt the officers on duty who, of course, won't be doing anything anyway. After a considerable debate, it was decided to open Engineering up, as long as we stay on the main level and don't linger. The only place we can't go in the armory. This is hard for us in security, but I can't really argue that we ought to bring Klingons in. I didn't see their armory either.
"I would," replied Gru'Kesh. I was pleased to not that he wasn't carrying any weapons, or at least any visible ones. I expected the Klingons to insist on a dagger or two. Since everyone had at least one dagger on the Qpok yesterday, I assume this was part of the agreement.
"We'll start with the mess hall. It's the most important place on the ship."
"More than your bridge?" he asked, but he sounded genuinely confused, and not like he was fishing for sensitive information.
"The mess hall is where most of the social activities go on. And the holodecks, of course, but we'll get there. We've got half an hour a little later."
"I see. You are not referring to official ship's activities."
"Well," I shrugged, "I don't know about your side of the Zone, but we don't have much to do, so not much happens on the bridge."
Gru'Kesh smiled. "That is true on the Qpok as well, although I do not work on the bridge very often. I am an engineer."
"At least you still have things to do. I'm in Security, and we never have anything to do. You must still have broken consoles and things to fix."
"Yes," he said, then paused for a minute. "I could give your department something to do, but I pledged not to."
I gulped and laughed, hoping he was joking. Fortunately he was, although the pat on the back that followed was a tad too hearty forceful for my liking. I almost tripped in the corridor because of it, but managed to avoid that particular method of making a fool out of myself. "You have a good sense of humor, Rose."
We reached the mess hall. "Here we are. We'll be back for lunch, but I thought we could get a drink first. Transporting always makes me thirsty."
"I have never heard of this transporter – induced thirst, but a drink would be excellent. The purpose of our exchange is to learn more about each other. I believe that food is an excellent way to learn." I'm not surprised he's never heard of transporter – induced thirst, because I've never met anyone else with that side effect.
"It's kind of early for alcohol," I said, realizing that it wasn't even oh-nine-hundred yet.
"You have an appropriate time?"
"You don't have to wait," I offered.
"No. I wish to experience your culture properly. What would you recommend?"
"If you like coffee, I suggest the café au lait."
"I do not like coffee very much." That was too bad. I liked their coffee. A little strong at first, but after a few sips you adjust.
"Orange juice then, or maybe ginger ale."
Gru'Kesh laughed, and I must have made a face. "The translation is humorous for this 'ginger ale.'" He laughed again. "May I try both?"
"Sure." I walked to the replicator. "Two orange juices, medium pulp, and one ginger ale." The drinks materialized and I handed Gru'Kesh the juice first. He took a large gulp, which isn't how I usually try new drinks, but it seemed to work for him.
"Acidic, but good," was his judgment. "I like these pieces that float."
"It's the pulp."
"Ah. It is good to include pulp in juices."
"Some people don't like pulp, but I do."
"I agree." He finished off the juice. "Now for this."
"You might want to drink it - " he downed several milliliters, "slowly." His eyes got really big, and for a moment after he swallowed I thought he might not be breathing.
Fortunately he recovered. "I see why you drink it slowly."
"I should've mentioned it earlier. I'm sorry."
"No. I assumed that all drinks may be consumed quickly, which is not true in your culture. I have learned much already."
"Soda is best enjoyed a little more slowly than juice."
"I must confess that I did not enjoy the first drink, but I will try again." Gru'Kesh sure got points for guts in my book. He took a smaller drink and considered it for a moment. "I prefer the orange juice, but this is palatable now." In several more sips, he finished the ginger ale. "Thank you for the drinks."
Our holodeck time was spent touring the Great Wall of China and the Grand Canyon. It's too bad that we only got half an hour each, but there are so many of us I don't see another way. Besides, Connie's time slot was right after mine, so we doubled up to show our guests twice as much. First we rode mules down the Grand Canyon (my choice) and then walked along the Great Wall (Connie's choice). Gru'Kesh was quite impressed with both, but especially the Great Wall. I think it appealed to the engineer in him when I explained just how little technology was available.
He clearly wanted to see more of Engineering than I was allowed to show, but was respectful of the agreed-upon boundaries. The bridge wasn't of much interest to him, but the shuttlebay intrigued him. Apparently the Klingon design is much different.
Right before he left we had lunch. I chose a nice ham dinner platter for each of us. All in all, I think he liked our food a lot more than I liked Klingon food. Gagh and bllodwine – there's a recipe for an effective crash diet. While Gru'Kesh was initially quite skeptical of the cooked meat, he ate it – and the accompanying raisin sauce – with gusto. That is more than I can say for my experience with gagh. Oddly enough, he loved gravy but wasn't fond of the mashed potatoes. Cranberry sauce was, I believe, his favorite, but the he ate the peas, albeit with some suspicion. For dessert we had ice cream (chocolate and vanilla swirl) and finished off with a shot of vodka, which Gru'Kesh liked so much I offered him the replicator program. (I'd planned on champagne, because I prefer it, but I got the distinct impression that he didn't care much for carbonation after the ginger ale incident.)
Captain Mercoeur said that we could give replicator programs, and Gru'Kesh was very appreciative. I was very touched when Wyget presented me with my own mek'leth yesterday, so I wanted Gru'Kesh to have some sort of memento of his visit to the Charlemagne. He assured me that putting the program into their replicators won't be a problem.
This has been a really interesting experience. Not only did I learn more about Klingons that I would from any 'Fleet report, but I learned a few things about the idiosyncrasies of my culture as well. There's a benefit to exploring that they don't usually talk about, and they should.
If nothing else happens on the Charlemagne, this exchange is something I'll never forget, and it's worth the boredom. Three days ago, I wouldn't have thought anything would be worth the boredom.
Live and learn. That's what we're out here for."
End log.
