Jim stopped at the crest of the hill to catch his breath, passing one of his hiking poles to his other hand so that he could reach behind himself and retrieve his water bottle from his backpack. He took a long drink, glad he had thought to bring lots of extra water in a large container at the bottom of his pack, because so far, this had been one thirsty hike.
While the trees provided shade for much of his walk, the temperature was still twenty-six degrees, and there wasn't any wind to relieve him, even on exposed sections on the side of the mountain. There were no clouds in the sky either, but Jim had come prepared with a wide brimmed hat that cinched under his chin, and a light cotton shirt with long sleeves to keep the sun off of him. And of course, plenty of sunscreen.
The top of the hill was in a well-shaded wooded area, and Jim had been walking for a while, so he decided this was as good a place as any to sit down and take a break. He looked around, and spotted a log nearby, just off the trail in a small clearing. Carrying both of his poles in one hand and still gripping his water bottle with the other, he made his way over to the log and dropped his equipment into the grass, shedding his backpack before sitting down with a satisfied sigh.
A faint breeze ruffled through the trees, giving Jim some brief relief from the stifling air. He paused to enjoy it while it lasted, then opened his pack and perused his food options. It was only noon, so he had yet to have eaten anything since breakfast before leaving, but that was hours ago, and now he was famished. He had two tuna sandwiches, an apple, a banana, a package of beef jerky, and some fruit juice. There was also one of those old fashioned emergency mint cakes somewhere at the bottom of his pack—the same one he had been bringing along ever since he first started hiking years ago. He should probably check and see if those expire.
Taking a sandwich out of its plastic baggie, Jim tucked in, glad that he had remembered to buy pickles the last time he was at the store—they gave tuna sandwiches just the right amount of crunch. Since his hike was supposed to end before sundown, he ate both of the sandwiches, and carefully stowed their wrappings in his pack to use again another time.
After finishing his lunch, he dug the large container of water out from the bottom of his pack and used it to refill his water bottle—may as well do it now, since he had to rearrange his whole backpack to get to his reserve. Then, he repacked his bag, looped a hiking pole around each wrist, and checked to make sure he had left nothing behind before setting back out on the trail.
He had started his hike earlier than he usually would have, since he wanted to get back early enough to catch the hockey game that evening. He was the first person at the trail head parking lot, and the sun had only barely come up when he began his hike. Because of this, he didn't think anything of the fact that he hadn't seen a single soul all day. After all, he got a head start, and he kept a good pace, making it unlikely for anyone to catch up to him.
Surprise came when he spotted someone on the trail ahead of him, walking towards him. Jim frowned. This trail was a there-and-back, and it didn't connect to any other trails, so the only way this person could have been ahead of him is if they had started their hike even earlier than Jim had, unless they had camped overnight, which seemed unlikely, since Jim didn't see the tell-tale bulk of a sleeping bag attached to the hiker's pack.
As they approached each other, Jim was able to make out more details of the hiker. He appeared male, and was taller than Jim by quite a bit. He wore a blue rain coat, zipped up, and Jim wondered how he wasn't overheating in such a getup. From the blunt haircut, pointed ears, and long eyebrows, Jim was instantly able to clock the hiker as a Vulcan. He frowned. What reason did a Vulcan have to be here, on a random hiking trail on Earth?
Once close enough, Jim raised his hand in greeting. "Afternoon," he said cheerily, stopping on the trail in hopes that the Vulcan would do the same and he would get a chance to talk with him for a bit. Maybe he could unravel some of the mysteries that came with the Vulcan's presence.
"Hello," said the Vulcan, slowing his pace and pausing before Jim. He looked at Jim curiously, but Jim was too excited that the Vulcan had stopped to notice.
"I didn't think anyone was ahead of me on the trail," Jim said conversationally. "You must have started pretty early."
The Vulcan blinked. "I came from another trail," he said.
"But there aren't any trails connecting to this one," Jim said, confused.
"I came through the woods," the Vulcan said. "I would not recommend leaving the trail, but my research requires it."
Jim started to notice the strange equipment hanging off the hiker's backpack and jacket. He had a lanyard around his neck with several things hanging off of it. Jim could make out a compass, a small notebook, and a pen. Hanging off the side of the man's backpack were what appeared to be variations of butterfly nets, and a camera with a long lens hung from his shoulder.
"Does your job have something to do with bugs?" Jim guessed.
"I am an entomologist," the man confirmed.
"A very interesting occupation," Jim mused.
"Indeed."
The conversation had gone dry, and Jim assumed the man was eager to move on. "Well, it was nice talking to you. Good luck with your entomology."
As he made to walk past and continue down the trail, the man turned, tracking his movement. "Have you heard the weather report for this afternoon?"
Jim stopped and turned back. "I checked before I left," he said. "Sunny skies all day long."
The Vulcan frowned, more than he already was. "You are mistaken," he said. "The meteorologists are predicting a severe thunderstorm around sixteen hundred hours."
Jim's brow rose in surprise. "They must have changed the report after I was already on the trail," he realized, and checked his watch. "Looks like we have just enough time to get back to the trail head before it hits."
"Indeed. It would be wise to head back."
"Yeah, thanks for the warning, I had no idea about the storm," Jim said. "Mind if I walk with you?"
"Not at all," the man said.
The two started down the trail, Jim following behind the entomologist. He quickly found the silence boring, and a bit awkward, and his curiosity about the man was eating at him. "I'm Jim, by the way," he said, breaking the silence. "Jim Kirk."
"Spock," the man answered by way of introduction.
"So, Spock," Jim said, saying the name slowly, testing out how it felt on his tongue. "Are there no bugs on Vulcan?"
"There are," Spock said. "Though Vulcan's insect population is far less diverse and has far less biomass than Earth's."
"It's a long way from home," Jim said.
Ahead of him, Spock shrugged. "I find that I do not miss Vulcan much. And, in a way, Earth is just as much my home."
"Oh? How's that?"
"My mother is a human of Earth."
Jim was surprised. "I didn't think humans and Vulcans could hybridize."
"I am thus far the only one to live past infancy."
"I guess you're really one of a kind," Jim said. He meant it as a compliment, but Spock sounded subdued when he answered.
"I suppose it does."
They fell into an awkward silence, and Jim was sure that he had said the wrong thing and was feeling guilty about it. But not wanting to have to walk for several hours without talking, and leave off on a bad note, Jim tried to start a new conversation. "So, tell me about your job. What kind of bugs are you studying?"
Though he couldn't see Spock's face, Jim could see that the Vulcan instantly brightened at the question. His posture grew taller, and his steps had more bounce to them. As Spock launched into what sounded like it would become a very long info dump, Jim smiled, knowing he had asked just the right question.
Spock went on explaining the different insects he was studying for nearly an hour before he suddenly paused in both his speaking and walking, and looked over his shoulder to Jim, as if to make sure he was still following him. "I apologize," Spock said. "I did not mean to ramble on for so long."
Jim stopped warily, as they were currently in the middle of a rather exposed section of the trail. He was about to tell Spock to keep going, as it was dangerous to pause here, but his heart squeezed at the embarrassed look on Spock's face, so he gave him a reassuring smile. "There's nothing to apologize for," he said. "I was rather enjoying learning about the local insect population."
Spock gave him a skeptical look.
"No, really," Jim insisted. "I love learning about things that are new to me, especially from people who are so passionate."
After a moment, Spock's features softened as he determined that Jim was not merely humouring him. His eyes flickered up to the sky above Jim, and he frowned. "The storm is on its way. We should hurry."
Jim turned and looked up past the crest of the hill they had just walked down. Sure enough, dark, angry clouds were roiling there, slowly moving in their direction. "Do you think we'll have enough time to make it back to the trail head before it catches up to us?"
Spock paused, evaluating the clouds. "If we walk quickly," he said.
Unsettled by the concern written across Spock's face, Jim said, "Well, we should get going then. We'll pick up the pace and you can keep telling me about your research."
A glimmer appeared in Spock's eyes, and he nodded. Jim was relieved to finally keep going. Standing on the exposed side of the mountain like they were wasn't safe, nor comfortable. It was easy to get vertigo in a place like this.
Soon, they were back in the comfortable shelter of the woods, and Spock continued on talking about his research. Jim made sure to interject with questions, and smiled when they seemed to make Spock happy. The trail had finally widened out enough that they could walk side by side, and Jim enjoyed catching glimpses of Spock's face as he talked.
When they were a kilometre away from the trail head, the storm finally caught up to them. The could hear the rolling of thunder getting more and more aggressive, and could see the tell-tale flashes of lightning as it discharged in the sky behind them. Now, being at the edge of the storm, it had started to rain on them.
Spock pulled up the hood of his rain jacket, and he unzipped his coat to create a shelter for his camera. Jim regretted not throwing his own rain jacket in the bottom of his pack when he left that morning, his only protection being a canvas hat and a cotton button down, which weren't much protection at all against the rain.
"Let's hurry, the storm is moving faster than I suspected," Spock said. A loud smash of thunder sounded behind them, seeming too close for comfort.
"I agree," Jim said quickly. "Let's get moving."
In unspoken agreement, the two began to jog down the trail. The section this close to the trail head was wide and level, so they didn't have to worry about tripping over roots and stones. By the time they reached the parking lot of the trail head, the rain was pouring down in a torrent and the wind was buffeting them side to side.
Jim pulled his truck keys out of his pants pocket and tapped the unlock button on the remote as they jogged towards the shelter of the vehicle. The truck beeped pleasantly and flashed its lights briefly, as if hailing them and beckoning them over.
"Phew!" Jim exclaimed once they had thrown themselves into the truck and slammed the doors closed. Jim took off his soaked hat and mopped the water from his forehead, only to have more water replace it, dripping down from his wet hair. "What a storm!"
"Indeed," Spock said. He was examining his camera.
"Is your camera okay?" Jim asked.
"I believe it is," Spock said. "It is mildly waterproof."
"That's good." Jim leaned forward and looked up through the windshield. "I don't think I can drive in this."
"It wouldn't be wise," Spock agreed. "I suggest we stay put and wait out the storm."
"Yeah," Jim said. "What did the weather report have to say about the duration of the storm?"
Spock thought for a moment, recalling the details. "It should only last a couple of hours," he said. "If the report is accurate."
"Well, I guess we have no choice but to find out," Jim said, leaning back in his seat. He shivered, the cold and wet already seeping into his bones. He twisted around and reached into the back seat to procure some blankets that he kept there in case of emergencies. He hadn't had to use them until now.
He offered one to Spock. "Here, it'll be best to keep warm."
Spock nodded and took the blanket with out complaint. They both wrapped their blankets around themselves, Jim shedding his button down shirt and Spock his rain jacket first so they could be as dry as possible. Then, Jim reached over and opened the glove box, removing a candle and a lighter. He set the candle on the dashboard and lit it.
Catching Spock giving him an odd look, Jim explained, "You'd be surprised how much heat one little candle can generate."
"I see," Spock said, his voice drowned out by the sudden cannon fire of thunder above them.
The sky was now so dark that is appeared to be night, rather than mid-afternoon. The wind yanked at the trees that surrounded the parking lot, through they could only see themwhen lightning flickered, illuminating the parking lot. The rain was so thick it looked like a veil.
"It's kind of beautiful," Jim said, in between thunder claps. "If not kind of terrifying."
"Indeed," Spock said.
They watched the storm, huddled in their blankets and warmed by the small flame on the dashboard for two hours before the storm finally began to show signs of passing. The thunder wasn't as loud, the time between lightning flashes and thunder bolts lengthened, the rain had thinned, and the wind had calmed. They could even spot some sunlight from the direction opposite of the storm's momentum.
"I think we're in the clear, now," Jim said. He blew out the candle and stowed it back in the glove box, then tossed his blanket in the back seat and put on his seat belt. Spock followed suit.
The truck rumbled to life when Jim turned the key in the ignition. The two passengers were hit by a sudden chill of cold air from the truck's vents, and Jim quickly switched off the air conditioning and turned up the heat. "It'll take a moment to warm up," Jim told Spock when the air was still coming out cold. "I'm guessing you parked at a different trail head?"
Spock shook his head. "I took the bus."
"Oh," Jim said. "Well, where are you staying? I'll drive you home."
"Thank you, Jim."
"Of course."
Spock directed Jim to the motel he was staying at just outside the park. When they pulled into the parking lot, they sat in the truck for a moment longer.
"How long are you going to be in the area?" Jim asked.
"I am as yet unsure," Spock answered. "A few weeks, I would guess."
Jim took a notebook out of his pocket and wrote something down, struggling to not tear through the slightly damp paper. He tore the sheet out and handed it to Spock, who looked at him questioningly.
"My comm ID," Jim said. "If you're going to be sticking around for a while, maybe we could do a hike together, or maybe you would like a research assistant? I don't know much about bugs, but I'm good at carrying equipment." He flashed a grin. "What do you say?"
Spock smiled shyly, his eyes lighting up. "I think I will certainly take you up on that offer."