More Fun to Explore With a Friend, Part II

Posted on Mon 23rd Apr, 2018 @ 2:05pm by Captain Ranulf MacBain

1,271 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Brushfires
Location: Tivoli Gardens, Deck 1554
Timeline: MD 7, 1200

Ranulf bought the tickets and seat cushions, as any tourist would. He walked back to Jenna as 'Walt' was tying off at the pier. "They said we could board as soon as the passengers aboard disembarked, and the maintenance crew prepared the boat for us." He noticed she was eating one of the chocolates and smiled, "I will keep in mind you find Bajoran dark chocolates irresistible!" He stepped up beside her. "I am beginning to understand what you were talking about, this place having so much to do."

"Umhmm," she mumbled, then swallowed and held the box toward him. "Only fair to share when you provided them." She licked her fingers and looked at the paddle wheeler. "Oh, I think it's ready to take us on."

Walt blew it's whistle, signaling passengers they had 5 minutes to board. There weren't that many for the noon trip, since most visitors were eating. Jenna and Ranulf walked casually aboard, and the pilot handed their tickets to the River Master.

"Let's sit up front, shall we? I always like to see where I'm going," Jenna said.

"Do you also sit in the front of a roller coaster?" Ranulf laughed, "Yes up front is perfect, balcony level or deck level, just lead the way." He walked, getting his sea legs as the boat rocked ever so gently. "I never expected to be boarding a riverboat while in space," he shook his head as this place still defied logic as he understood it.

"So, Jenna, you have been here a while. What would you consider the personality of the base? I mean, I was on frontier sector bases and much of the base was sort of wild west America. This is a base in the corner of several political entities, seems this place would be pretty wild, especially as fast as it has gone through commanders. This area looks very civilized, though."

He waited for her to sit before he sat beside her. "I guess I am asking, is this the way the base is or is this the well-patrolled exception?" He wanted her opinion as the Fleet perspective was not usually the same as the civilian perspective.

"Hmm. You know, I've heard there might be some decks where secrets can be kept, but I spend most of my time either on Promenade decks, or down here in Tivoli Gardens. I have a small apartment on Deck 698 in the civilian area," Jenna told him, holding her face up to the breeze coming across the river.

"What I see is well ordered and safe, and only wild on certain nights in a couple of the Promenade bars where certain enlisted personnel hang out - not bad, just noisy, occasional fist fight - stuff you find anywhere people congregate, I guess. I know I've heard of problems on other bases, places security doesn't go, smuggling takes place, things like that, but if we have any of those problems on 109, I don't hear about them."

She thought for a moment about the strange murders in the weeks before Colonel Drake's death, but dismissed those as anomalies, something connected with the woman who had killed the Colonel, too. She didn't mention those, but settled on concluding with, "I think you're safe enough here with me. I'll protect you," she teased.

Clasping hand to heart and the back of his other hand to his forehead, he uttered, "Thank the Gods. I was feeling a bit weak in the knees with worrying about river pirates. Knowing I have a stout defender such as you along gives my faint heart the courage to push on." Ranulf smiled and his face turned a bit pink as he hoped he had not overplayed the humor. Humor was something that often evaded him. What he thought was funny most others thought differently.

Jenna laughed. "I suspect you'd be happy to see a river pirate!"

He took her hand "so my brave protector." He waved her hand forward in his own, "Tell me of the wonders of this particular delight?" He released her hand. "Does this boat have stops along the way or just return to where we came aboard?"

"This one just paddles around the river and returns, but if we take the Ferengi barge I mentioned on the other deck, that one stops at several places for people to get off and on again." She leaned back against the seat and put her sandaled feet up on the edge of the railing.

"This is simply a pleasure cruise, and a chance to get a closer look at what's around the edges of the river. If you see something you want to explore, we can walk back on the river walk that runs along both sides, though most of the business is on this side, and mostly housing occupies the other side. There's a bridge across behind us. I think we'll go under it to turn at the other end."

Others had settled around them as they chatted, and now the paddle wheeler's captain tugged the whistle, one long and two short blasts, and they were pulling away from the dock. "So this feels strange to you, thinking of a river in space? I haven't ever looked at it that way. 109 just seems like a big city to me, and lots of big cities have rivers nearby, or through the middle of them. Take Reno, for instance. It runs right through the middle of town. Oh, I guess I'm presuming you've spent a lot of time on Earth and would know Reno."

MacBain just stared at her for a few seconds in disbelief. He broke out laughing and shook his head, "Of all the cities in the American continent to mention, you ask about Reno, Nevada? I was in England for a two week break and rode through several systems of locks just to say I did it. I read of Paris and Venice but never got a chance to see them. I grew up on a colony planet, so I was only on Earth for my flight training."

Ranulf made eye contact. "However, Reno runs air races every September. I love to fly the old propeller driven planes, and one of my classmates was from a well-off family who sponsored a plane." He puffed out his chest and took a smug expression. "To shorten a long story. You are looking at the winner of the 2385 Unlimited Gold race winner. I was the first, and maybe only one, to ever win in an F7 Tigercat, with a speed of 513mph." He nodded his head, "I realize the speed sounds unimpressive, but it was a record speed for the Tigercat. The race is normally won by a P51 Mustang, and it was a close finish. A very exciting race, if I do say so myself."

With a deep breath, he finished. "So one of my few claims to fame while on Earth, and you found me out. I raced planes while learning to be a fighter pilot. I also won a RedBull acrobatic race in San Francisco. Seven races in training, and qualifying rounds up to the final four. Everyone pilots one of a couple designs. I flew the Edge540, no record but I won by a safe margin. I actually enjoyed the acrobatic races, and if I'd had more free time, I would have competed in more races." Ranulf raised an eyebrow, "So have I proven myself a geek yet?"

Jenna said, "Impressive enough." Then, switching to her home planet's accent, she added, "Aye, ye're a geek, but ye're my geek today."

 

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