07 September 1996

I maintained a dialogue with Sue by way of e-mails.  The plans that we were making for the IKV SonchIy and the direction that I wanted to take my ship, I would put into the e-mails.  I wanted to impress on her how dedicated we were as a group. 

Guilty - I was also infatuated with her and I may have been trying to impress her with...me.

I found out much later that she thought I was, in her words, "full of shit".  The e-mails I was sending her, she was sharing with a co-worker, named Stacey.  The serendipity in this is almost beyond belief.  Stacey was one of the "original crew" that John Gannon put together when he brought KAG into Canada.

Sue later admitted that all the plans and promises I had made were  far less than what I actually accomplished..

Stacey was the reason that Sue had attended MarFest.  Stacey dragged Sue to the Con and had helped Sue make two costumes.  One a Vulcan and the other a Romulan.  Stacey had a history with the club, and I suspect that she is the reason Sue was curious enough to listen to me.

Sue reported to CFB Halifax on the 02 September, and made her first appearance on 07 September.  She had less than a week to put her costume together.  We began talking by phone and I told her what the arrangements were for our party at Coles Book Store. 

On Saturday, I met Sue at Starbucks.  I was sitting at a table when she came in.  She was already in costume when she arrived.  When she had her coffee, she joined me at the table.  I had not yet put my costume on.  Members of the club, from the IKV SonchIy and elsewhere, were getting their caffeine fix as well.  Some stopped by the table to say hi.  Not one was in their costume.  They, like me, were planning on transforming later in the public washroom. 

Sue, victim, Karen and Jane

Sue was not saying much.  She just sat there, hiding behind her cup.  There was a break in the traffic and she said to me, "If this is a practical joke, you'll never see me again."  I was caught off guard.  It was something I had not considered.  She was sitting there, in full Klingon costume, alone.  Not even a week in Halifax. 

When it was time to celebrate the 30th Anniversary, Coles laid out a cake.  I do not think Coles expected the turn out.  There were Klingons from Wolfville, Oxford, Truro, Halifax and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.



Left to Right:  Paul Carreau, Jane, Sue, Barry, Karen and Rick

 We were there for at least a couple of hours.  At one point, I was told that the concessions in the Food Court were becoming irritated because tables were being taken by Klingons, and customers could not find places to sit.  I do not think it would have made much of a difference if the Klingons had been buying anything.  This was something that would become a concern for me as we started to do more high profile events.  Klingons tend to gaggle.  They like to gather in groups, especially around doors.

Barry came up to me and told me that a Photo Studio wanted to take a small group picture.  Very quietly, I gathered the members of the SonchIy and we made our way to the Studio.  One thing about Klingons, we do like to have our picture taken.