Road Trip [for losthunter]

[boldygoing]

It's a beautiful spring day in Riverside, Iowa. The skies are clear and the weather is pleasantly mild, and across the endless fields that stretch out into vast distances, automated farm machinery is hard at work planting corn for the season.

There's no such machinery around the Kirk farm, though someone has bothered to zap away some of the weeds threatening to devour the foundation. The old homestead still sits disturbingly empty, all but abandoned if not for a few small signs that someone has been there recently. One of those signs sits just outside the house, leaning up against his motorbike as he waits for another rider to come join him, a set of riding goggles resting against his forehead.

The motorcycle has clearly seen better days, but it's nothing like twenty-first century bikes. There are no spokes in the wheels, for one thing - indeed, the wheels don't even seem attached by anything visible, held in place by some invisible force. It's keeping itself upright without a kickstand, as well, even though the young man in question is leaning most of his weight against it.

Comments

[losthunter]

"You and her have gone a very unique adventure together." Hunter notes softly. He has to appreciate the sight of Jim, looking up at his ship, leaned forward on his bike as he is. "And you will adventure again."

[boldygoing]

"I sure hope so." He still has yet to hear from Starfleet Command whether or not he's going to return to the captain's chair, and given the sheer amount of disruption in San Francisco that Khan caused, he can't be too surprised that it's lower priority at the moment.

But this trip is supposed to be a fun one, so he doesn't dwell on the matter. "I can't wait to see her back up there again. She's meant to fly."

[losthunter]

"So are you..." Hunter notes softly.

[boldygoing]

Jim smiles at Hunter, grateful as always for his support. "Until then, riding will have to do." He casts one last wistful look up at his silver lady before turning the bike around, heading back towards the open road.

[losthunter]

Hunter takes one more look himself, before getting his helmet back on his head, revving his bike up, and following Jim back towards the open road.

It has been quite some time since he had taken a bike tour. He is glad to be able to do one with Jim.

Had to write this twice because my iPod ate it the first time :(

[boldygoing]

It's been a while since Jim got to do a road trip too. At least since before he enlisted in Starfleet. Iowa doesn't offer the kind of fun, twisting roads of other states, but the relatively straight roads have their own advantages, allowing Jim and Hunter to ride side by side. The clear blue sky above and the wind blowing in his hair feels like freedom, and Jim can't resist the urge to pop a wheelie every now and then, enjoying the ride.

For a short while the road is paralleled by a high fence, and on the other side, away from the road, is a great gaping trench in the earth. Battered signs posted at periodic intervals along the fence proclaim it to be the Washington County Quarry, and that trespassers will be prosecuted. Jim can't resist throwing a slightly smug grin in its direction, wondering if the wreck of the Corvette still lies at the bottom.

It's about thirty-five miles before the city of Cedar Rapids begins to come into view in the distance, its tall buildings rising up on the horizon. Not quite as impressive and majestic as the shipyards, but expansive nonetheless, its structures a mix of old twentieth century and more modern twenty-third century construction. As they get closer, there begins to be more traffic on the roads, mostly hovercars that don't touch the pavement, and a few public transportation vehicles.

that sucks when it happens

[losthunter]

Even with the difference of motorbikes, the feeling of being on the road is still the same. And Hunter is enjoying riding beside Jim, glancing over every now and then with a big grin.

He is enjoying all the sites too. The Washington County Quarry. And then the tall buildings of Cedar Rapids.

[boldygoing]

Jim hasn't really been here before, but fortunately, his bike has a built-in navigation system that projects a holographic trail on the inside of his goggles. He signals to Hunter to slow down as they enter the city limits, entering the flow of traffic streaming into the city. Much like it was in San Francisco - before the Vengeance crashed downtown, that is - shuttles occasionally fly by overhead, and there's a decent amount of foot traffic. This far away from the major interstellar travel hubs, most of the population seems to be human, but there are occasional aliens here and there.

The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art is downtown, and they have to cross over a wide river to get there. Jim slows further as they roll up outside the museum, a wireframe sculpture on the front lawn indicating they're in the right place. There's a small strip along the edge of the road that seems to be reserved for parking, and he rolls the bike to a stop inside the marked-off zone. "One good thing about biking is finding parking is easy," he remarks to Hunter, once the other man can hear him.

[losthunter]

Entering the city limits is a little unnerving for Hunter. There is a little more movement that is around him, with those shuttles flying overhead. But he keeps pace with Jim.

When they slow down, Hunter notes the wireframe sculpture on the front lawn. He parks the bike beside Jim's bike. He laughs at Jim's comment, turning his bike off and removing his helmet.

"And pretty easy to navigate around traffic."

[boldygoing]

Hunter's bike turns a few heads, but the pedestrians that end up staring tend to have varying expressions of admiration. Traffic is probably a hell of a lot lighter than what Hunter is used to in his century, leading to a safer ride through town.

Jim pushes his goggles up on his forehead again as he shuts down the engine and pulls out the startcard, slipping it back into his pocket. "I can't imagine how much more crowded these streets would've been a few hundred years ago."

[losthunter]

Hunter turns his bike off, setting down the footrest, before sliding off of it. He removes his helmet. "A lot more vehicles on the ground, that is for sure."

[boldygoing]

The museum is mildly busy at this time of day, a comfortably sized crowd by Jim's standards. Not enough to be overwhelmingly crowded, but enough that they aren't going to be entirely alone in a deserted art gallery.

"Looks like they've got an exhibition on Andorian jewelry and ceremonial weaponry this year," Jim says as they head inside. "There's also a Roman art exhibition that's been going continuously for the last two hundred sixty-three years, which is pretty cool."

[losthunter]

"Both sound very interesting." Hunter links his arm with Jim's as they head inside. "I must admit, I don't know what an Andorian is. But Roman art... now that is something that I am always interested in."

[boldygoing]

"They're one of the four founding species of the Federation," Jim explains, comfortable in taking their time to head towards the Roman art gallery, arm in arm with Hunter. "Blue skin, white hair, two antennae and four genders. They're mostly a warrior culture, but it's one of those 'code of honor' kind of things."

[losthunter]

"As in four different genders as a culture, or one Andorian can change into four different genders as a person?"

[boldygoing]

It takes Jim a moment to figure out what Hunter means by that. "As in the species has four distinct sexes," he clarifies. "Transgender Andorians also exist, and I honestly can't imagine how complicated that must be for them."

[losthunter]

"That would be very complicated... but then again, I am not one of their culture. So I imagine they must consider the human species complicated."

[boldygoing]

The Roman art exhibition is set up in its own dedicated room, and it holds everything from sculptures and vases to coins and jewelry. Jim lets Hunter set the pace, and the direction they'll go first, to check out the artwork on display.

"The Vulcans have this concept called 'infinite diversity in infinite combinations,'" he says as they meander through the gallery. "It comes into play a lot."

[losthunter]

Hunter takes his time, going through the Roman art exhibition, pausing every now and then to appreciate a sculpture, vase, or jewelry exhibit.

"Especially now that you have access to the Nexus, I imagine it will come into play even more."

[boldygoing]

Jim takes a moment to inspect a marble statue from a respectful distance, admiring the skill that went into carving it to be true to life. "Probably," he agrees, but gives a glance towards the other patrons of the museum, making sure they aren't listening in on their conversation. There's enough low background noise to make two men speaking less noticeable than it would be if it was silent, but Jim still doesn't entirely want to risk being overheard.

"There's something kind of mind-boggling about being in a room with art that was made more than two thousand years ago," he says instead.

[losthunter]

Hunter wonders if there are some pieces on display here, that would be on display in a museum in his timeline. But he is taking Jim's cue, and not asking any questions that might arise suspicion.

"Art is often the best way to understand the cultures of our past. What we know about the cavemen was best described by the drawings they left on cave walls."

[boldygoing]

"And that's just what's survived," Jim agrees. "It's a little sad to think about how much has been lost or destroyed over the centuries. Not just in human history, but other species too. There was a lot of really ancient artwork lost with Vulcan."

[losthunter]

"And when that history is lost, so does a little part of the species." Hunter really thinks it is unfortunate that Vulcan was lost forever.

[boldygoing]

"Yeah. It also means that what was saved is all the more precious." It's something that Jim has been facing on a far more personal level than he expected, lately. And maybe it's an unusual way to rationalize his survival when others weren't so lucky, but he's trying to find the positive side.

He looks over at Hunter as they stop in front of a vase, chipped and cracked, but still clearly painted with images of heroes and monsters. "Do you ever think about how future generations might see your art?"

[losthunter]

"All the time." Hunter admits softly. "I often wonder what people would think... of me and my history."