Log #761
Earth is a deathworld. Being a deathworld, it is dangerous and deadly and absolutely not somewhere you'd want to vacation. That being said, it is also extremely beautiful.
Lt. Ti'lear has only been there once, sent on a mission by the Captain who had wanted to hire another human for the crew, since the ones they had were incredibly efficient, even if they got off task abnormally often. Ti'lear wasn't entirely sure what made the Captain actually send someone in person to pick up their recruit when they could have very well made it on their own, but apparently they weren't taking any chances in their new crewmate getting themselves hurt, which was also something that happened frequently. Why in the galaxy would anybody think turning a toy spaceship into an inter-dimensional laser gun would be a good idea? Daniel, apparently, did. He though it'd be "rad". Holy Star these creatures were going to get themselves killed.
Anyways, off to Earth Ti'lear went, both hearts trembling in fear and his mind cursing his Captain's decision (never the person themself, he respected the good captain too much for that).
And Mighty Sun was it an experience.
When he'd finally stepped onto Earth's surface, after hours of vaccinations and medical checkups and exercises in the space station orbiting the planet, he was completely blown away. Almost literally, since the winds were so strong. He'd come from a planet thats strongest 'wind' came from the breath that exited the creatures bodies that resided there. Actual deathworld-level wind was something of a slap in the face. With a brick. Made of solid air.
But that paled in comparison to the vibrant explosion of color and sounds and smells. There were plants of unlimited variety, small feathered creatures brighter than any animal on his home planet, there were people of all races, cultures, and species, dining laughing living together as if there were no worries in their lives, no duties binding them to one place or responsibilities holding them captive. It was free in a way he had never experienced before.
With all that he'd heard about Earth, this was nowhere near what he thought it'd be like. It hadn't quite computed that humans had managed to tame a deathworld, to turn it into something of their own while still leaving it with all it's glorious wonders and perils.
Ti'lear spent his week there touring everything (taking extra precautions, of course), eating anything that his stomach could handle (there was a close call with a pepper, how did humans eat well known poisons for fun??), talking with as many people and species as he could to gauge what they thought of the place. He got so many wonderful recommendations but he wasn't able to try even half of them before his time had run out.
At week's end, he met his new crewmate mate at the airport wearing a sunhat (their star was far too close for his liking), two pairs of sandals (for all four of his legs), and a black shirt that said 'Aw Man' on it with a print of a fictional green creature from an ancient "video game" that was somehow still extremely popular. Said fictional green creature looked oddly similar to himself, except it's legs were shorter and it didn't have arms. Also it was significantly blockier.
When his new crewmate, and young engineer called Allisa, saw him, she laughed and said he gotten "touristed", whatever that means.
His past self would have called him crazy, but Ti'lear honestly wanted to go there again. It was on the other side of the galaxy by now, but maybe he could visit Earth with his human colleagues when their month off came around.
Ti'lear smiled, brushing a clawed green hand over his favourite shirt before gently tucking it away for a time when he wasn't required to wear uniform. Stars damn him and all his misconceptions about Earth, even if they were accurate in a different time.
