[Day 6 - Late Morning] Taking A Hike

[Soleene Stryss]

"Explorer's luck?" She chuckled at that thought. "I can't say I've ever heard of that before. So then, does that mean that some creature might pop out during this trip and I'll be able to take a trophy home too?"

"I'm from somewhere," she said simply on the matter, seemingly not too keen on sharing more than that. "I guess someplace warm, hot and tropical. It's not as arid or dry as Bellionas, badlands like this aren't in great abundance. It could probably use a bit more lakes, rivers, and jungles. So you've been at this for a whole decade?"

She thought he looked younger unless he was travelling very early on.

[Qar Offee]

"Why not? You'd better start looking around for it." He laughed, but it petered out into a nasal sigh. "I was still a kid when I left." He confirmed her other supposition. "Guess I am not the only one to run away from something, somewhere." He checked their back with a brief look across his shoulder, then looked at the view again.

[Soleene Stryss]

"Maybe another time," she said as she reached down to pick up a pebble from the ground and fling it off into the distance. There was an elongated pause afterwards as if she was testing her luck to see whether or not she managed to awaken something unintentionally.

"Run away is a word for it, yeah." She nodded on a grave note. "I think the galaxy is large enough that anyone can really go anywhere without missing too much. It's not the same, obviously...but you can't truly exile yourself when your mind keeps finding bits and pieces."

[Qar Offee]

"Rule of firsts, I guess. You'll always be comparing to them. First planet, first bike, first kill, the like. How our damn heads work." He sighed with a bit of resignation. "That feeling that everything has already been, to some extent. And that pursuit of novelty that may finally set free."

He laughed at himself. "Damn, way too much philosophy for a guy with a bike." He rubbed his face and glanced where the pebble had fallen. The line between light and shadow below had moved a little as the sun kept ascending.

[Soleene Stryss]

"Sounds kind of pessimistic. There have to be enough species in the galaxy that to not be entirely true...but I guess you have a point there. We can forget too and some experiences end up overlapping together. I don't know if that's an optimistic workaround." She shrugged.

"Uh-huh. Yeah, no philosophy. What's the best thing you've eaten while on the road, in the middle of nowhere?"

[Qar Offee]

"A ripe muja fruit on Krant." He said after a while. "I don't hunt that much. You?"

[Soleene Stryss]

"Really? Just a muja fruit?" She chuckled at that thought and shrugged. "I guess I can't knock on that, it was probably the best muja fruit ever after being on the road. Good for you, right?"

"As for me, I guess it was a nerf burger on some asteroid field...I forgot the system. One single thick patty with double layers of blue cheese and they threw some greens that didn't really make much of a difference. They served it right off the grill and it was piping hot, practically dripping oil from my fingers. Probably the most unhealthy thing I've ever eaten...and one of the most disgusting. But, after so long on ship rations, it was the best thing I've eaten."

[Qar Offee]

"See, it's not about the thing itself, but about circumstance. Mundane things can be invaluable if we give them such meaning."

He paused, glancing at her. "This is how I try to live, at least. Get enough from the life I have rather than waste myself on seeking one that I don't. A bike ride, a haunting view, good company. What else there is to want?" He smiled.

[Soleene Stryss]

"When you say it that way, you really make it seems that there's absolutely no reason for people to fight...I know, that's probably not what you meant but if people can only be so easy to please."

Solenee glanced out to the mural of natural minerals with a nod of appreciation. "But with moments like this, it is easy not to think about anything else. These are moments you can't buy...okay, maybe you can but they are also free."

She gave Qar a tap on the shoulder. "Hey, did you think it's about time we swing back to town?"

[Qar Offee]

"Sure. Hop on. Guess you have your schedules." He broke off the reverie and moved back to the bike, giving the large geological mosaic one last glance.

[Soleene Stryss]

Soleene would join him back on the bike and followed his gaze as he looked at the natural wonder.

"Well, I didn't say I was exactly in a hurry either to get back in the city. If you want to head back either at cruising speed or pretend it's a race practice, I'm for it." She gave a glance from where they came from. "Besides, I get the feeling we're not going to take that way back."