It was the 26th of August. The 3rd birthday of ST Frontier Fleet. The day that the Dutch members of Frontier Fleet were going on a mission... of exploration and recreation.
It was 0910. The atmosphere nearby the train station of Den Bosch was tense. Ben and Rob Versteegt had already arrived at the scene. They were eagerly awaiting the arrival of most of the other Dutch FF members. Rob looked at a window, to see his reflection. "How is my hair?" he asked Ben. "Fine..." Ben answered, without even looking at his twin brother. He was too busy being nervous, to occupy himself with such trivial things as 'looks'.
A few minutes later, a train stopped at one of the platforms. 2 people stepped out. "Well, we're here." One of them said. "Let's go see what these new members are all about..." he sighed. "Let's get this over with." With a firm nod, and an 'uhuh', the 2, who were also FF members, went outside. They walked towards 3 other people. 2 of them were also FF members, one other just came because he knew the rest.
Ben tapped Rob on the shoulder. "Here they come!" he said. He had been studying the pictures of all the members, so he knew how they would look. Both brothers pulled their uniforms straight, and walked towards the 5, who were now walking out of the doors.
~No, not again!~ Guido, one of the 5 members, thought. ~Why do new members always have to appear in dress uniforms, when we have an IRL meeting????~ He felt a certain need to rip those uniforms off of those 2, tear them apart, and throw them away, but he controlled himself. "These are FF members Guido." He said to himself. "Treat them like members. We can't afford to loose members..."
Nevertheless, Ben and Rob saw the anger in Guido's face, and in all of the other's faces. ~This does not look good!~ Ben thought. The 2 brothers looked at each other, and, simultaneously, shouted: "RUN!"
The 2 started to run away from the 5, but, unfortunately for the 2 brothers, the 5, consisting of Guido, Bram, another Rob, Merijn and Paul, gained up on them. "Let's get out of here!" Rob shouted, but it was too late. They couldn't go anywhere. They were surrounded by FF members.
For a while, none of them said a word. Then, suddenly, Rob (the twin one, not the other one) held out his hand, and said, nervously: "I'm Rob... Nice to meet you..."
"Take of those uniforms!" Merijn said. The twin brothers quickly did what Merijn and the others wanted (they outranked the twins), and after a few minutes, the uniforms were put back into their bags, and they had 'normal' clothing on.
"Much better." commented Bram. "Now, welcome to the club." He held out his hand, and so did the other 4. Ben and Rob were surprised. They had expected to be beaten up by this group, but instead, they were greeted in a friendly way. After shaking hands, everybody introduced themselves. There were Bram, who played CO Janssens, Guido, who played CO Main, Merijn, who played FO Essar, and Rob, who played FO (CO to be) Bennek. Ben and Rob also introduced themselves, Ben played ACEO Velden, and Rob played ACSO Jalando.
Ben and Rob looked at Paul, the only one who hadn't introduced himself. "Who do you play?" they asked. Paul sighed. "I'm no member of FF." He said. "I just came because I like the Efteling, and to carry your bags..." He was a bit humiliated, for the carrying of the bags part, but it was true. It was the only way for him to go to the Efteling...
About half an hour later, Walter, a former member of FF, arrived. Together, all 8 of them went into the bus, and they were on their way to the amusement park, called the Efteling.
Once there, Guido and Bram ordered everybody to have fun. So that's what they did. And that's what you see on the pictures.
Picture 1: (Photo P8260015.jpg)
Rob Versteegt is driving... His brother, Ben, is sitting next to him. Guido is making pictures. Rob Verlinden is sitting next to Guido. He was constantly telling Rob to watch the road... But he didn't... This caused a somewhat bumpy ride...
Picture 2: (Photo P8260016)
Here, Guido is showing us his imitation of a Ferengi.
Picture 3: (Photo P8260017)
Guido and Bram are relaxing, when all the others are discussing the theory that time goes slower when you are going faster.
Picture 4: (Photo P8260018)
Rob Verlinden and Rob Versteegt, FF's two Rob's.
Picture 5: (Photo P8260019)
The FF gang is walking towards the next thing to do, in this case, the Pand(or)adream. Paul, Rob and Rob are taking the lead.
Picture 6: (Photo P8260020)
Ah, the group photo!
From left to right:
In the back: Paul, Rob Verlinden, Rob Versteegt, Walter
On the front: Bram, Ben, Merijn, Guido
Picture 7: (Photo P8260022)
Ben is walking in front of the others. "Come on guys!" he said. "There is still so much to see!"
Picture 8: (Photo P8260025)
This picture was taken inside the "Val Karna Festival". This festival is a tribute to the legendary Admiral Val Karna, the AcadCm of Frontier Fleet. (Actually, this was called "Carnaval Festival" which means "Carnival Festival".) On the picture you can see Ben and Rob in one car, and Paul and Walter in the other.
Picture 9: (Photo P8260026)
A cheerful gamemaster is taking some pictures.
Picture 10: (Photo P8260027)
Still in the Val Karna festival. Paul and Walter, and Ben and Rob, are seen here.
Picture 11: (Photo P8260028)
Bram and Guido, enjoying the festival.
Picture 12: (Photo P8260030)
Er... Walter.
Picture 13: (Photo P8260032)
Almost everybody in Pandora Park. (At least, that's what they called it...)
Picture 14: (Photo P8260034)
Merijn and Guido, *again* in the Val Karna festival. (For the 3rd time!!!)
Picture 15: (Photo P8260047)
Ben, Bram, Rob, Rob and Merijn, inside a wagon of a train.
Picture 16: (Photo P8260048)
At the end of a beautiful day...
Picture 17: (Photo P8260056)
In the train back home: Rob Verlinden at his best.
Guido's pictures:
Of course, our beloved gamemaster had his photocamera with him as well. So in stead of just commenting Merijn's pictures, here are some comments on Guido's pictures.
Picture 1: (Photo Dscf0002)
Ben, Rob Verlinden, Walter and Paul went in to this... Contraption. The rest... Well, they stayed on the ground...
Picture 2: (Photo Dscf0005)
Ah, here Rob Versteegt is driving again... This time he is concentrating on the road in front of him... (See Merijns Picture 1, photo P8260015)
Picture 3: (Photo Dscf0007)
Our gamemaster, who looks kind of relaxed, but was actually terrified of Rob's driving skills... or actually, the lack thereof...
Picture 4: (Photo Dscf0008)
Rob Verlinden, sitting in the back of the car.
Picture 5: (Photo Dscf0011)
Ben, Rob, Rob and Guido weren't the only ones who took a ride in these ancient vehicles, Merijn, Paul, Walter and Bram also took on the challenge.)
Picture 6: (Photo Dscf0014)
Ben, Rob, and Paul were sitting in one boat, and Walter and Merijn were in the other one. Rob Versteegt can just escape the boat of his namesake. He then joined Merijn and Walter, where he got pretty wet...
Picture 7: (Photo Dscf0015)
This boat was named the USS Odyssey. It's easy to see that none of these people is a helmsman... They hit the first boat they came across...
Picture 8: (Photo Dscf0020)
First contact with an alien lifeform...
Picture 9: (Photo Dscf0022)
Rob Verlinden, Merijn and Bram are enjoying the Val Karna festival.
Picture 10: (Photo Dscf0025)
Rob and Merijn are taking a picture of Walter, Paul, Ben and Rob Verst. Little did they know their picture was being taken...
Picture 11: (Photo Dscf0032)
The Efteling and beyond... Seen from a high platform called "The Pagode".
Picture 12: (Photo Dscf0037)
One of the musicians, who were playing in the Val Karna festival.
Picture 13: (Photo Dscf0038)
The Val Karna festival was a happy one. Everybody danced, everybody had a good time, including these penguins.
Picture 14: (Photo Dscf0040)
Shore leave on Hawaï. From left to right: Rob Versteegt, Guido and Merijn. <VEG>
Picture 15: (Photo Dscf0041)
One of the natives invited us for dinner... Little did we know that he was a cannibal...
Picture 16: (Photo Dscf0048)
Everybody wanted to be on the picture! From left to right: Ben, Merijn, Walter, Rob, and Guido.
Picture 17: (Photo Dscf0061)
The end of a tiresome, but beautiful day. In the train back home, the tensions between the FF members got a little high: "Make me an Admiral!" Paul said. "Or I will hit you with this newspaper!"
