Travelog

K/S Fanfiction
Title:	Travelog
Author(s):	Karla Kelly
Date(s):	1999
Length:
Genre:	slash
Fandom:	Star Trek: The Original Series
External Links:
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Travelog is a Kirk/Spock story by Karla Kelly.

It was published in the print zine First Time #50.

Summary

"Two reporters on the tourist beat try to get an interview fron Kirk and Spock who are staying together in one of the luxury suites at a starbase."

Reactions and Reviews

Welcome back to Karla Kelley, I hope the fact that she has two stories in First Time 50 means that she will be writing K/S more often. She has been missed!

This story is one of her signature humorous shorts. It’s told from the pov of a tourist operator who’s conducting a group of tourists around Rigel 2. He just happens to catch the intrepid command team of the Enterprise checking into the hotel Rigel Wanderer, and he directs an accompanying cameraman to film the two. He also tries to get an interview. Needless to say our heroes are not too happy about being caught in the act, so to speak. It’s so funny when the narrator says: “As they enter the elevator, you can see Captain Kirk flashing us the one fingered salute, the natives customary way of saying goodbye to tourists on Rigel 2.” Later they’re observed by the same touring group at various other venues. It seems certain that their gig is up until Scotty and Uhura manage to save the day.

Very cleverly presented, this story is fun!

I definitely second Shelley's comment last month about Karla finally surfacing—I've been asking for the last couple years for her p-l-e-a-s-e to come back and grace us with her wonderful short stories.

For a little while I fancied I might be able to follow the "Karla Kelly School of Short Stories" in my writing, but I'm afraid I don't have the tight focus she has. Always a unique (or even common) idea, elaborated on only enough to make the point, with an economy of words yet never dry language...all of which I really admire. And always, of course, with Kirk and Spock at the heart. This story is great. Reporters on the travel/celebrity beat, on Rigel 2. The Enterprise is there for R&R. Harry and his cameraman try to get an interview with Kirk and Spock but get "No comment."

But Harry finds out they're sharing a room—what a scoop. And flying over the famous nude beaches they get shots of Kirk and Spock. Well, there's a really fun denouement scene at the Randy Goat(!) which I won't tell you, but it's just so darling. I'm still chuckling.

A very delightful little quickie from one of fandom's best. Karla has carved a definite niche for herself with these pieces, and I'm so glad to see her writing again after what seemed to be a long absence.

In less than two and a half pages, she has woven a tale that is both funny and charming. The story is told by Harry Hannigan, a reporter trying to get off the travel beat by digging up some dirt about Kirk and Spock as they take shore leave on Rigel 2.

I especially like the "one fingered salute" given by our captain, that Harry explains away as "the natives' customary way of saying goodbye to tourists," and the way a certain engineer of our acquaintance with an "Irish" accent solves the problem.

You've been missed, Karla.

What a clever idea! The ultimate nosy journalist, doing a travelog, somehow keeps happening upon the Captain and First Officer of the Enterprise. First they are on the beach, and apparently something has happened. The human is giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and is quite adept at it as Spock revives and plunges into the water to cover his nudity. Kirk simply waves to the reporter in the manner customary to the planet—with one finger!

The reporter catches them in a couple more interesting situations, but is absolutely certain he is not seeing what he thinks he sees, so he doesn’t pursue it. And of course through the whole thing, Kirk remains friendly, waving in the customary manner again and again. Once even the Vulcan takes up the planetary greeting!

Karla has found a new way to make us smile, both inwardly and outwardly. Good job!