Stardate: 80316:1900
Title: This Way or That
Author: Emma Smith
Time: Current
Scene: Planet-side


Emma shooed another damn blue bird off her shoulder. "What is WITH those things??"

"Right," she turned back to the dwarf, "now just the facts, Groucho."

"That's Grumpy."

"Right, Grungie."

"That's GRUMPY! And shouldn't you be hidden in the cottage?"

"Uh," Emma held up her hand, "look, if you could just tell me what we're doing here..."

"Well," Grumpy smirked, "if your wicked stepmother, the Queen finds out where you are..."

"OKAY!" Emma turned a pleading face to Ensign Ross.

Alex took a step toward the dwarf. "Which way is the castle?"

Grumpy pointed.

"Good good," Alex continued, "Then what is that way?" He gestured in the opposite direction.

The other dwarves began to mumble. Grumpy finally spoke. "We... hmm... we just don't know."

"The opposite way, it is." Emma smiled.

Gitta had quickly gotten used to Sparky's appearance, although poor Sparky, it seemed, would never get used to the little donkey that trailed after his every move.

The group had hardly gotten far when they heard a yelp followed by the sound of cracking branches and rustling leaves coming straight at them from a nearby hill.

"We need to get out of here!" Remmick gasped at his colleagues. "Ack!" He looked at the donkey. "A rat!"

"Rat? Did he just call me a rat? Why my word, I have been a donkey all my life and will remain a donkey until the day I die. A RAT? A rat indeed. Humpf... I'll show you rat if you want a rat..."

As the little varmint rambled on, Three took the opportunity to roll his eyes and take a full step from its side. Ensign Conway suppressed a giggle.

"Remmick," Emma reached over and pulled a tiny piece of wolf entrail off his pretty little red hood. "What in the name of Kahless happened to you?"

Marc took a look his ship-mate's get-ups and sighed. "Never mind. It appears to be par for the course. "


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Lt. (S.G.) Emma Smith
Chief Security Officer
USS Horizon
NCC-72400
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