Someone's in the Galley With TC
by Lt. CDR. Blane, Lt. CDR Reece, and Lt. Grace
71219.23
--=Various locations on the Alchemy: Current time=--
by Lt. CDR. Blane, Lt. CDR Reece, and Lt. Grace
71219.23
--=Various locations on the Alchemy: Current time=--
TC woke from his short nap feeling far, far better then he had. The sleep on top of the food, shower, shave, and clean clothing had made a world of difference.
He had grabbed one of the many available enlisted bunks for his nap. The Alchemy was running on even less than a skeleton crew and there where plenty of them open. He swung his legs over the edge and sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
TC had crashed out on the bed after leaving Dabin alone to eat, without even undressing from his uniform. He stood and made his way to the mirror attached to the wall. He needed to change again before heading to the bridge, looking all wrinkled was not an option.
So once again, he set about the process of replicating a clean and well pressed uniform. After changing he checked the time, there were still a few hours remaining until they were due to arrive in orbit over Bajor.
Enough time for breakfast.
He tapped his badge. “Lt. Commander Blane to Lt. Commander Reece and Lt. Grace. Please report the mess, and bring your appetite.” He cut off the communication before a response was given, a clear sign that their presence was not an option.
He had grabbed one of the many available enlisted bunks for his nap. The Alchemy was running on even less than a skeleton crew and there where plenty of them open. He swung his legs over the edge and sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
TC had crashed out on the bed after leaving Dabin alone to eat, without even undressing from his uniform. He stood and made his way to the mirror attached to the wall. He needed to change again before heading to the bridge, looking all wrinkled was not an option.
So once again, he set about the process of replicating a clean and well pressed uniform. After changing he checked the time, there were still a few hours remaining until they were due to arrive in orbit over Bajor.
Enough time for breakfast.
He tapped his badge. “Lt. Commander Blane to Lt. Commander Reece and Lt. Grace. Please report the mess, and bring your appetite.” He cut off the communication before a response was given, a clear sign that their presence was not an option.
=^= Mess =^=
Bru and Dabin arrived in the mess hall, looked around and found no sign of the man who had summoned them there. Exchanging glances, they wondered what was going on. A bang from the kitchen area drew their attention.
“Grab a table.” TC laughed. “If you can find one.”
The two glanced around at the empty room and selected a table, well not really, as there was only one table in the room that was set for three. A carafe of orange juice was on the table waiting for them.
There was a sizzling sound from the kitchen just before TC appeared through the double doors carrying a plate of toast and wearing an apron. He set the plate down on the table.
“It is not too often that I get complete and unfettered access to the kitchen like this. So I am taking advantage of it.” He folded his arms across his chest. “Since I am not on the Indy, and considering that certain persons did not care to inform me of their marriage until recently…” He grinned at the pair. “Consider this a belated and temporary wedding gift.”
*The real gift would've been another half an hour of sleep,* Dabin mumbled, pasting on his best 'I love mornings even though I hate mornings' smile.
*Now, Dabin. This is such a heartfelt gesture. He gave up sleep of his own to find the time to do this for us. Keep smiling and for heaven's sake, have a piece of toast.* Bru thought back.
"Thank you, TC that is so very sweet of you!" She smiled and picked up the plate before them. "Toast?" She offered, holding the dish out toward Dabin.
"Yes, please!" He replied, taking two pieces and putting one on his plate, and one on hers.
*What do you think is sizzling in there? Fleur is going to be ticked if he's into her private stock. Hell hath no fury...* Dabin thought to Bru.
"So what's on the menu TC?" Bru shouted towards the kitchen.
"You'll see!" He shouted back.
Dabin took February's hand in his. She turned back towards him, and he just grinned happily at her. It was a comfort to be near her here, or wherever here happened to be. Dabin took a swig of the orange juice. "No pulp.... bless you Mr. Blane."
"Viola!" TC announced, as he entered the dining area, skillet in hand.
“Blane’s almost famous omelets.” He put the skillet onto the table and pulled up a chair for himself. “Eggs, bacon, sausage, green and red peppers and just a mild hint of onion. Cheddar cheese is wrapped in the center.” He lifted his spatula. “The ones on the right are standard and the ones on the left have had the green peppers replaced.”
“Replaced with what?” Bru asked.
TC gave a sideways grin. “With something that had a bit more spark to it. So what’s your pleasure?” He asked, hovering the spatula over the hot food.
*Oh my GOD* Reece thought. He could eat many things in this life- in this host- but green peppers were not on that list. Something about them just turned his stomach, and if any food included them you could count on the fact that Dabin would smile politely but decline the offer from what he considered to be a very safe distance.
*Looks like you're going for the heat, mon amour.* Bru thought.
"Spark is good!" Reece smiled, raising his glass and wetting his whistle again in anticipation of the burning that was to come. "I'll try the spicy one."
"I just love green peppers, I'll take the original, please." Bru said, politely holding her plate up to the skillet. TC took the spatula and hefted a sizable portion onto her plate, and she leaned in and sniffed. "Mmm. A person could get used to this kind of thing, TC. Who knew that you were so domesticated?" Without thinking she added, "It's amazing some woman hasn't snapped you up, finding out you can cook like this." TC gave a weak smile and Bru smiled and bit her lip. "Sorry. Just thinking like a sister for a minute there."
“That’s OK. My mother would agree with you.” He scooped one of the hot omelets on to his plate. “When you are a forever bachelor like myself, you learn to cook. It is my hobby, I do not get a chance to do it enough.”
He bit into his food and savored the taste. He pointed to their plates with his fork. “What do you think? I had to replicate the sausage and ham so I hope they are alright. It seems the ship left with out full provisions so I had to ad lib.”
"It's fabulous, TC. I'd love to see what you would do with a dinner menu, sometime."
"We'll have to work on that. See where we all end up after," TC paused, wondering what was going to happen after the crew was debriefed back at Command. Bru nodded, not wanting to think about it, either.
"Reece, you're not saying anything, man. What do you think of my creation?"
Dabin's eyes were watering profusely, and he was still trying to swallow his first mouthful of 'sparky' omelet. He managed to smile weakly, nod slightly, and give a 'thumbs up' to the chef. *It tastes like burning!* he thought to February.
"Maybe a glass of water?" Bru suggested, and Dabin nodded much more enthusiastically now.
TC stopped her though, and pushed the plate of toast closer. “Use bread to take out the burn. Water will only prolong it.”
After quickly chomping the piece of toast and gratefully finding that TC knew his stuff, Dabin took another chunk of egg and bacon from the edge of the omelet, this time more prepared for what he was going to experience. "What is in that stuff?" he asked, once he could finally speak again.
TC smiled. “I mix the eggs with habanero juice.”
He took another bite from his plate. “So, I did not know that the Alchemy already had an assigned cook.” He asked changing the topic of conversation. He had met Trick on the Indy, but had never met Fleur. He certainly did not know the story of her stowing away on the Alchemy.
"Oy, vey." Dabin replied. "The Mad Baker? Yeah, she came along uninvited and Pointy is none too pleased about it, actually. I'd hate to be her once we get to port."
"You knew her before she showed up on Indy though, right?"
"Oh yeah. Several of us made her acquaintance back on DS23, originally," he explained. "She ran a great cafe there. She left around the time when the Federation declared that the civilians should evacuate. That was before I left, but I never did get to say goodbye to her."
"I can guess from the name that she's French," TC said, swallowing a sip of orange juice between questions. "But what's her story? How did she end up on the Indy?"
"I haven't had a chance to ask her yet. The story I want to know is how she really ended up on the Alchemy." Reece replied. "Security turned her away during what I now realize was her first attempt to sneak on board. She's more cunning than she looks. I can't figure out why she'd want to hide out here, though. This has hardly been a pleasure cruise and far as I know, she never much cared for Captain Zanh."
*Come on, Dabin,* February thought to him, *You don't have any idea why Fleur is on the Alchemy? Really?*
*Nope. Not the foggiest.*
*She's in love with Jariel.*
Dabin choked on the sip of orange juice he'd been drinking, and sputtered. How Bru had come to this conclusion when she'd known Fleur only days and he'd known her years, he couldn't fathom. *No way!*
"You okay, Reece? If it's too hot for you, I can make you some plain scrambled eggs if you'd prefer." TC offered.
"No, no, Just. . .down the wrong pipe is all." Reece recovered, still coughing.
*Way! You've been a woman four times, Reece! Can't you tell when a woman is crazy about a man by this point?*
*Honey, I'm still so clueless about women that I thought chasing Jaine Hood for a decade was a great idea and had no inkling that you were interested in me until you almost pounced on me.*
"I didn't much care for Captain Zanh in the beginning, myself," TC admitted, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "But she kind of grows on you, I guess. Tell me the truth, Dabin. Were you and Salvek really responsible for blowing up her old ship, the Stella Polaris?"
"Hey, hey now, I don't know where you heard that rumor but it was not our fault," Dabin protested. "It was the Romulans fault. That's our story, and Pointy and I are sticking with it."
TC smiled. “OK, you go with that.” He turned to Bru and flipped the topic back to Fleur. “I am surprised that Le Marc is not in the brig. I figured the Commander as someone who follows procedure.”
"Oh, he is. By the book as they come." Bru replied.
"That's why I don't understand how he and Zanh haven't murdered each other yet, working together so closely all these years." Reece added with a shake of his head. "But I heard him say that he didn't have time to deal with Fleur now and he knew that she wasn't really a security threat, so he said he'd handle it after the Captain was squared away."
TC bit into a piece of toast. “Technically, I am not supposed to be here either, but I am Starfleet. She is a civvy.” He munched on the toast. “Your right, Mr. Reece. I would like to know how she bypassed security.” He pointed his fork at no one in particular. “It could be there's an issue that needs fixing.”
He downed a long swig of juice as he glanced at his watch. “Wow. I hate to break up the party but we should be coming up on Bajor here in short order.” He wiped his mouth with a napkin. “I’d like to see that the captain gets transferred to the surface safely. Call me a worry wart.”
"We're right behind you," Grace concluded, clearing up the plates and putting them into the replicator so Fleur wouldn't easily find out that someone had been in 'her' galley. Dabin grabbed the skillet and spatula and prepared to do the same.
"Thanks again for everything, TC. Our gift was delicious." Dabin said, saluting Blane with the spatula.
"Want some help with that, guys?" TC offered.
"Nah. You go on ahead." Dabin said, waving him off, still holding the utensil. "You did the cooking. Least we can do is the dishes."
“Grab a table.” TC laughed. “If you can find one.”
The two glanced around at the empty room and selected a table, well not really, as there was only one table in the room that was set for three. A carafe of orange juice was on the table waiting for them.
There was a sizzling sound from the kitchen just before TC appeared through the double doors carrying a plate of toast and wearing an apron. He set the plate down on the table.
“It is not too often that I get complete and unfettered access to the kitchen like this. So I am taking advantage of it.” He folded his arms across his chest. “Since I am not on the Indy, and considering that certain persons did not care to inform me of their marriage until recently…” He grinned at the pair. “Consider this a belated and temporary wedding gift.”
*The real gift would've been another half an hour of sleep,* Dabin mumbled, pasting on his best 'I love mornings even though I hate mornings' smile.
*Now, Dabin. This is such a heartfelt gesture. He gave up sleep of his own to find the time to do this for us. Keep smiling and for heaven's sake, have a piece of toast.* Bru thought back.
"Thank you, TC that is so very sweet of you!" She smiled and picked up the plate before them. "Toast?" She offered, holding the dish out toward Dabin.
"Yes, please!" He replied, taking two pieces and putting one on his plate, and one on hers.
*What do you think is sizzling in there? Fleur is going to be ticked if he's into her private stock. Hell hath no fury...* Dabin thought to Bru.
"So what's on the menu TC?" Bru shouted towards the kitchen.
"You'll see!" He shouted back.
Dabin took February's hand in his. She turned back towards him, and he just grinned happily at her. It was a comfort to be near her here, or wherever here happened to be. Dabin took a swig of the orange juice. "No pulp.... bless you Mr. Blane."
"Viola!" TC announced, as he entered the dining area, skillet in hand.
“Blane’s almost famous omelets.” He put the skillet onto the table and pulled up a chair for himself. “Eggs, bacon, sausage, green and red peppers and just a mild hint of onion. Cheddar cheese is wrapped in the center.” He lifted his spatula. “The ones on the right are standard and the ones on the left have had the green peppers replaced.”
“Replaced with what?” Bru asked.
TC gave a sideways grin. “With something that had a bit more spark to it. So what’s your pleasure?” He asked, hovering the spatula over the hot food.
*Oh my GOD* Reece thought. He could eat many things in this life- in this host- but green peppers were not on that list. Something about them just turned his stomach, and if any food included them you could count on the fact that Dabin would smile politely but decline the offer from what he considered to be a very safe distance.
*Looks like you're going for the heat, mon amour.* Bru thought.
"Spark is good!" Reece smiled, raising his glass and wetting his whistle again in anticipation of the burning that was to come. "I'll try the spicy one."
"I just love green peppers, I'll take the original, please." Bru said, politely holding her plate up to the skillet. TC took the spatula and hefted a sizable portion onto her plate, and she leaned in and sniffed. "Mmm. A person could get used to this kind of thing, TC. Who knew that you were so domesticated?" Without thinking she added, "It's amazing some woman hasn't snapped you up, finding out you can cook like this." TC gave a weak smile and Bru smiled and bit her lip. "Sorry. Just thinking like a sister for a minute there."
“That’s OK. My mother would agree with you.” He scooped one of the hot omelets on to his plate. “When you are a forever bachelor like myself, you learn to cook. It is my hobby, I do not get a chance to do it enough.”
He bit into his food and savored the taste. He pointed to their plates with his fork. “What do you think? I had to replicate the sausage and ham so I hope they are alright. It seems the ship left with out full provisions so I had to ad lib.”
"It's fabulous, TC. I'd love to see what you would do with a dinner menu, sometime."
"We'll have to work on that. See where we all end up after," TC paused, wondering what was going to happen after the crew was debriefed back at Command. Bru nodded, not wanting to think about it, either.
"Reece, you're not saying anything, man. What do you think of my creation?"
Dabin's eyes were watering profusely, and he was still trying to swallow his first mouthful of 'sparky' omelet. He managed to smile weakly, nod slightly, and give a 'thumbs up' to the chef. *It tastes like burning!* he thought to February.
"Maybe a glass of water?" Bru suggested, and Dabin nodded much more enthusiastically now.
TC stopped her though, and pushed the plate of toast closer. “Use bread to take out the burn. Water will only prolong it.”
After quickly chomping the piece of toast and gratefully finding that TC knew his stuff, Dabin took another chunk of egg and bacon from the edge of the omelet, this time more prepared for what he was going to experience. "What is in that stuff?" he asked, once he could finally speak again.
TC smiled. “I mix the eggs with habanero juice.”
He took another bite from his plate. “So, I did not know that the Alchemy already had an assigned cook.” He asked changing the topic of conversation. He had met Trick on the Indy, but had never met Fleur. He certainly did not know the story of her stowing away on the Alchemy.
"Oy, vey." Dabin replied. "The Mad Baker? Yeah, she came along uninvited and Pointy is none too pleased about it, actually. I'd hate to be her once we get to port."
"You knew her before she showed up on Indy though, right?"
"Oh yeah. Several of us made her acquaintance back on DS23, originally," he explained. "She ran a great cafe there. She left around the time when the Federation declared that the civilians should evacuate. That was before I left, but I never did get to say goodbye to her."
"I can guess from the name that she's French," TC said, swallowing a sip of orange juice between questions. "But what's her story? How did she end up on the Indy?"
"I haven't had a chance to ask her yet. The story I want to know is how she really ended up on the Alchemy." Reece replied. "Security turned her away during what I now realize was her first attempt to sneak on board. She's more cunning than she looks. I can't figure out why she'd want to hide out here, though. This has hardly been a pleasure cruise and far as I know, she never much cared for Captain Zanh."
*Come on, Dabin,* February thought to him, *You don't have any idea why Fleur is on the Alchemy? Really?*
*Nope. Not the foggiest.*
*She's in love with Jariel.*
Dabin choked on the sip of orange juice he'd been drinking, and sputtered. How Bru had come to this conclusion when she'd known Fleur only days and he'd known her years, he couldn't fathom. *No way!*
"You okay, Reece? If it's too hot for you, I can make you some plain scrambled eggs if you'd prefer." TC offered.
"No, no, Just. . .down the wrong pipe is all." Reece recovered, still coughing.
*Way! You've been a woman four times, Reece! Can't you tell when a woman is crazy about a man by this point?*
*Honey, I'm still so clueless about women that I thought chasing Jaine Hood for a decade was a great idea and had no inkling that you were interested in me until you almost pounced on me.*
"I didn't much care for Captain Zanh in the beginning, myself," TC admitted, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "But she kind of grows on you, I guess. Tell me the truth, Dabin. Were you and Salvek really responsible for blowing up her old ship, the Stella Polaris?"
"Hey, hey now, I don't know where you heard that rumor but it was not our fault," Dabin protested. "It was the Romulans fault. That's our story, and Pointy and I are sticking with it."
TC smiled. “OK, you go with that.” He turned to Bru and flipped the topic back to Fleur. “I am surprised that Le Marc is not in the brig. I figured the Commander as someone who follows procedure.”
"Oh, he is. By the book as they come." Bru replied.
"That's why I don't understand how he and Zanh haven't murdered each other yet, working together so closely all these years." Reece added with a shake of his head. "But I heard him say that he didn't have time to deal with Fleur now and he knew that she wasn't really a security threat, so he said he'd handle it after the Captain was squared away."
TC bit into a piece of toast. “Technically, I am not supposed to be here either, but I am Starfleet. She is a civvy.” He munched on the toast. “Your right, Mr. Reece. I would like to know how she bypassed security.” He pointed his fork at no one in particular. “It could be there's an issue that needs fixing.”
He downed a long swig of juice as he glanced at his watch. “Wow. I hate to break up the party but we should be coming up on Bajor here in short order.” He wiped his mouth with a napkin. “I’d like to see that the captain gets transferred to the surface safely. Call me a worry wart.”
"We're right behind you," Grace concluded, clearing up the plates and putting them into the replicator so Fleur wouldn't easily find out that someone had been in 'her' galley. Dabin grabbed the skillet and spatula and prepared to do the same.
"Thanks again for everything, TC. Our gift was delicious." Dabin said, saluting Blane with the spatula.
"Want some help with that, guys?" TC offered.
"Nah. You go on ahead." Dabin said, waving him off, still holding the utensil. "You did the cooking. Least we can do is the dishes."
Lt. Commander TC Blane
Lt. Commander Dabin Reece
and Lt. Commander February Grace
USS Alchemy NX-53099
Lt. Commander Dabin Reece
and Lt. Commander February Grace
USS Alchemy NX-53099