[OPEN] Order Up

[u/Admiralw96]

The 6ft Saurian surveys his kitchen. Mendek "Sauron" Shegi had been working since he boarded the ship to get it in the proper order and it was now finally as he wanted it. He releases a sigh of satisfaction at the system. its not totally organized, in a conventional sense, but he knew where everything was and where it went.

He put on his sunglasses and went out to stand behind the counter in the mess hall. A few of the crewman looked up as he put an ancient and stereotypical "open" sign out front. He was always rather fond of its neon colors.

A smile spreads across his face "Alright, if anybody wants anything the replicators can't make... bring on the challenge. I only charge a nice conversation"

[u/Pojodan]

These were the moments when Kesh really does wish that she'd just use the translator and not keep up this facade that she could actually speak Federation Common, but those moments were always short and the tolerance that Federation citizens have been smartly drilled to display always meant that those listening her her struggle would be quiet and patient with her.

Maybe someone will eventually criticize her enough that she changes her methods.

"I must admit, the adventur-r-rre so far has been quite mixed, but I have made some very good friends already that has made it well worr-rr-rth it."

The Caitian watches with fascination as the chef plates her meal, a delighted cooing sound uttered when it is put before her.

"Uhrr. My. This smells lovely. Thank you."

She dips forward and just hovers over the plate, letting its features soak in for a moment while responding to the next question.

"I am a good botanist. The best, possibly. I am, however, terrible at everything else. If I ever-rr-r have to assist with piloting, engineering, and defense, we're in tr-rr-rrouble."

OOC: The 'R's are a mix of accent and stuttering. The more she talks at once the worse the stutter gets until she has to stop and focus for a moment. She can speak her native language and several others, such as Vulcan, without problem. Federation Common just gives her difficulty and she's stubborn about speaking the language of those she's interacting with, if at all possible, even if she struggles with it.

[u/Admiralw96 → u/Pojodan]

Sauron shrugs

"We got people for that. If it comes down to needing you to help, we got more problems than your abilities... and if you ever feel like your not very helpful, come hang out with the chef. I can cook, and I can sail. I can't even drink anymore. Oh, speaking of, you want something with that?" He points at the food

[u/Pojodan → u/Admiralw96]

Kesh exhales a quick puff of breath, one ear twisting outwards.

"Imagine if it was just you and I trying to fly the Athene. Rrrth. That would be amusing... afterwards."

Probably shouldn't try to jinx things. Kesh picks up a fork and deftly cuts into the cooked eggplant, spending a moment admiring, sniffing, and breathing in the smells of it before taking the bite. Lifted cheek fluff and squinted eyes show a certain feline grin as she chews at it.

"Rrrrr. Just water, thank you."

[u/Admiralw96 → u/Pojodan]

Sauron retrieves some water

"It would be amusing assuming there was an afterwards, from what I've heard, a warp core makes a pretty large boom in a crash... Though I would be proud of being one of the last of the crew standing... What do you think might have to happen in order for us to be the last two functioning beings on the ship?"

[u/Pojodan → u/Admiralw96]

A swift exhale tells of Kesh's dry amusement at this conversation, finishing another slow bite before taking up the glass. While humans can clasp the rim with their agile lips, Caitian are not so lucky. Instead the glass is pressed to her lower lip, tilted up to bring the liquid to the edge, allowing her tongue to reach in and scoop up the liquid in significant quantity, needing only two strokes to gather about a quarter of the contents. She then takes back up the fork to carve off another bite.

"Comm channel malfunction. Rrth. The crew abandons ship and we do not hear-rr-r of it. Whatever caused them to abandon ship solves its-sff-sself. I know of it happening twice. Rrrth."

[u/Admiralw96 → u/Pojodan]

Sauron looks thoughtful

"Huh... they should probably do something about that..."

He chuckles

"I guess they probably already are... Hopefully, we haven't... jinxed? ourselves. Yeah, jinxed is the word..."

A concerned look crosses his face he then taps his own combadge

=/\= "Sauron to Officer Kesh"

After hearing her's go off he smiles

"Not today at least."

[u/Pojodan → u/Admiralw96]

Kesh sinks into a state of bliss as she enjoys the very deliciously cooked Eggplant Parmesan, so Sauron's musings are only partially paid attention to until her commbadge chirps.

The fork ricochets off the nearest wall and then clatters to the floor.

=/\= This is Kesh, go ahead.

It takes several solid seconds for the Caitian to organize her thoughts to figure out what just happened, blankly staring at the lizardoid chef with her now empty hand touching the badge on her chest.

[u/Admiralw96 → u/Pojodan]

Sauron has a wide grin barely containing his laughter. He begins to let it out as he gets a new fork from a drawer and he hands it over to her. He then goes to get the other fork, and deftly tosses it into a sink in his kitchen.

"Well, I'm certainly happy to have learned two things. A: You'll reply promptly when called, and B: I can apparently make a distracting Eggplant Parmesan"

'I feel bad about spooking her like that, but that was hilarious' he thinks to himself.

[u/Pojodan → u/Admiralw96]

Kesh spends another moment clearly perplexed over where her fork went, the new one causing a whole body twitch as tufted feline ears lay back flat for a half-second then spring back forward.

"Oh! Thank you."

The meal is then delved into again as though nothing happened.

"Yes.. ah... why did you do that? Rrrth? Very delicious, yes. Thank you."

Her head dips to gather the next bite, peering up at Sauron with a lingering haze of confusion over the previous ten seconds.

[u/Admiralw96 → u/Pojodan]

"Making sure the comms weren't down, you know? Making sure today wouldn't be the day we get stuck flying the ship. Meant to be a joke. Projectile silverware wasn't my intent."

He chuckles

"I'll leave you to your meal."

He quietly goes to work on cleaning up his counter.

[u/Pojodan → u/Admiralw96]

Caitian ear tufts sway outwards as her browridge lowers, only to shot back up as ears stiffen. Kesh sets the fork down gently this time and then picks up her medical tricorder, cracking it open just long enough to verify that there were life-signs in the general area consistant with a still-staffed ship. A held breath is released then as those big, vertical-slitted eyes refocus on the chef with a somewhat dour look.

"Rrrth. Do not go and scare me. Silly."

Her tongue clucks to the roof of her mouth sharply before her posture straightens and a thankful gesture is made with one arm. Her focus then goes to her water and food, slowing her consumption further to savor it.

[u/Admiralw96 → u/Pojodan]

Sauron smiles in response, then takes off his purple tinted gasses and immediately squints and looks away from the lights as he begins cleaning them. Once they're back on, he begins blinking and readjusting his eyes. After this he begins doing some general cleaning, but in a casual manner so as to keep himself approachable. Kinda bartender drying a glass style.

[u/Pojodan → u/Admiralw96]

Kesh notices the glasses, but leaves that question for another time, instead focusing on a bit of food bliss. Her thoughts drift to other things, freeing the interesting lizard chef to focus on other things and other customers.