Greetings everyone,
Stardate: 63236.2 (September 26, 2009)
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Event...: Star Trek XI premier at the Blank IMAX theater at the Science Center of Iowa
CAPT Debbie "T'Plon" Fee, CO of the USS Vre'kasht, and I went on an away mission to promote the latest Star Trek movie at the Science Center of Iowa, Blank IMAX theater in Des Moines, Iowa. We were dressed in our Starfleet uniforms, of course. We were joined by one other STARFLEET member BGN Tom Webster, CO of USS St. George NCC-63541, and 3 non-SFI Klingons. The Klingons are a member group of KAG, in Des Moines, Iowa, called IKV Black Thunder. JaPa sutai (JP) is the Commander of the Black Thunder, Mak Bah tai (Marcie) the Chief of Security and the third I believe is K'aval Tai (V) Chief Navigator. Early on, 4 of us met with the coordinator and she filled us in on what we were to do which was basically to be Star Trek characters and promote the movie (the 2 female Klingons joined us at a later time). We were even put on live TV, local WHO-TV Channel 13, in Des Moines.
The 4 of us went through the Farmer's Market, which was having their event just down the street. We could not walk 10 feet without being asked for a photo op. People wanted just photos of the 4 of us, photos of them with us and photos of their kids with us. We spent about an hour doing photos and telling people about the movie at the IMAX theater.
Near the end of our walk-through, of the market, we ran into a couple that had seen us on TV and came down looking for us, specifically, to get our autographs. That came as quite a surprise. We were no one special, non-celebrities and that, and yet someone wanted our autographs. We were all for the signing. The guy was bummed out when he discovered that he had grabbed the wrong poster for us to sign. He brought a Star Wars poster instead of a Star Trek one. We shook hands and parted ways, and the 4 of us went back to the science center.
When we got back we were given vouchers for lunch. We split up and went in different directions. CAPT T'Plon wanted to go to the "Trekking Across the Milky Way" presentation given by Dr. Siobahn Morgan, Professor of Astronomy at UNI. It was most intriguing to listen to the science facts behind the Star Trek fiction. Did you know that it would take about 400,000 years to get to the planet Vulcan at our current rate of speed for space travel? At warp 5 it would take a matter of a few days! By the way, Dr. Morgan had a toy replica of the USS Enterprise from the new movie, complete with lights and sounds.
The 2 female Klingons joined us just before lunch. We went to eat, and sit for a while since legs and feet were getting tired from standing and walking so much. After lunch, we split up again and CAPT T'Plon and I went to look at many of the science exhibits and, of course, to tell people about the movie. After that we all met up again in the lobby to sit and rest our feet again, at the table they set up for our display purposes. Oh yes, there were more photo ops as well. We finished the day by telling people about the movie we were promoting, handing out movie posters and, yes, getting more photo op time in. I do not believe I have had that many cameras pointed at me in my entire life as I did this day!
Unfortunately, we did not stay to watch the movie, not that we didn't want to, just that there was a bit of a communications error. Somehow, we got the impression that they were going to allow us to see the movie free since we were asked to help promote it, in costume. This, however, was not to be. Since none of us planned on having to pay, we elected to leave just before the first showing of the movie. I was SO looking forward to seeing the movie in IMAX!
Thus ends our away mission, here in Des Moines, Iowa. The 6 of us bid our farewells and CAPT T'Plon and I located our shuttle and headed back to the Vre'kasht.
Dif-tor heh smusma \V/_
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