What's a Potato Good For?

Posted on 16 Nov 2013 @ 5:57pm by Lieutenant Theron Rhodes & Alexander Iella
Edited on on 17 Nov 2013 @ 3:47am

1,437 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 04 - Exodus
Location: USS Galileo - Officer's Messhall
Timeline: MD 05 - 1500 hrs

ON:

Lt. Rhodes was very satisfied with the progress with the repairs taking place on the weapon and shield systems about the ship. They still had major issues with 2 of the phaser arrays on the port side. Theron had already checked with his staff and all were going fair under the circumstances. It was almost shift change, but since his stomach just growled, he thought it best that he get just a bite.

Theron walked into the Officer's mess and found it sparse. There were a few crew members sitting at tables, very involved in conversation. He then heard a voice behind him.

"Stupid son of a ----" Alex said as he kicked the cabinet door as it finally gave way and opened for him. "Finally." He muttered as he started pulling pots and pans out of the cabinet and set them on the counter above. For whatever reason this mess halls cabinets had been locked, and it had taken Alex a little while to mechanical override them... with a bit of physical persuasion. Standing up, Alex surveyed the various cooking utensils; the mess was missing a few he knew he would have to find somewhere, or even replicate, but it had all the basics so that was good.

Rhodes turned at the loud noise to see a rather slim looking man with red hair, who seemed to look rather frustrated at the moment.

Looking up from his collection of pots and pans, Alex found himself looking at a young man with an amused look on his face staring at him, "Yeah, how can I help you?" He asked a little brashly, still a bit annoyed at the cabinets.

"Oh, I do not know." Rhodes replied, "Maybe I should be offering, if I can help you in some way?" He stepped closer, up to the counter. "I am Theron. I do not believe that we have met before." He extended a hand of friendship.

Alex let out a sigh as he picked out a pan and set it on the burner. "No, no, more of just me bitching really." After Alex grabbed a chunk of butter and dropped it onto the pan, he took the man's hand. "We haven't. I'm Alex, I was on the Venture before she went bye bye. Now... I work here." He said spreading his hands out at the room in general.

"A sad situation to say the least," Rhodes replied, "but glad to have you here now. What are you working on there?"

"Thinking of making a beef Stir-fry, test out the pans and equipment so I can see what I need to get, what to change, you know, the important stuff." Alex replied as he turned around and started pulling some vegetables out of the fridge.

"Ah.' Theron commented, "Trying to the lay of the land, one might say." He turned and looked about the not-so-busy mess hall and then back to Alex. "Do you have a specialty?"

"I tend to stick to Earth and Trill cuisine, but apart from that no, no real specialty." Alex replied as he pulled the meat out of one of the refrigerated drawers and started slicing it into fine strips. "What about yourself Theron, what do you do?"

Theron began to take in a breath, and his mind spun with his responsibilities, but he simply said, "I am Chief of Security."

"Quite the responsibility, even for a ship this small filled with only nerdy scientists." Alex nodded, "They tend to get a little rambunctious sometimes that's for sure."

Theron smiled slightly, looking down and laughing inside at his new friend's humor. "Yes. Yes they can." Looking up at Alex he added, "And sometimes, like in our current crisis, I have to be that proverbial point of the stick."

Alex nodded and frowned a little, "I wish you luck in that department. The Borg are a.... relentless adversary, one that scare many a Starfleet Captains."

"To say the least." Theron replied. "I have no idea how we will come out of this situation, but we are preparing for several situations, just in case."

"Nothing's ever certain anyways. The best we can do is plan for the worst and hope for the best.... and try and work the scale towards the best." Alex replied with a shrug, "Just do your best."

"Speaking of your best," Theron began, "Do you have anything to eat? Or should I look to the replicator. I don't think I've eaten since before 0800."

"No, nothing I've made recently, since supper time is soon. There are still some cold burgers left in the refrigeration unit I think though." Alex said as he looked backwards towards the fridge. "Want one of those?"

"Well . . ." Theron hesitated, looking sideways in thought. Then looking back, slightly sad, "I'm not sure re-warmed food is going to satisfying to me at all at this point."

"Well then replicator is all you're getting. I've been too busy to make lunch, and this stir-fry is for supper soooo... yeah." Alex said with a shrug as he dropped all of the ingredients into the sizzling pan. He pushed it back and forth for a few seconds before turning the heat down a little. "Sorry."

"Not a problem." Theron replied and stepped over to the replicator. "I would like one of my protein drinks, Theron PJ2V8, please."

After a moment a tall clear glass of dark juice appeared on the tray. Theron picked up the 20 ounce glass and carried it back to where the cook was working. After sitting down, Theron took a long drink of the semi-think liquid. It was quite taste and good for him, of course.

Theron turned back to cook and tried to carry the conversation further, "What part of Trill are you from?"

"Not from Trill." Alex said as he spread some spices over the stir fry. "I was born in Paris, my father worked at the Trill Embassy. Only moved back to Trill during my teenaged years." He shrugged and pushed the vegetables around some. "What about you, where are you from?"

Theron was surprised by that answer, but should not have been with all the traveling and different species working in different worlds from their origin. He replied, "My home world is Tandar Prime. I grew up there as well."

"Must have been a whole new world when you shipped off to Earth to attend the Academy." Alex said with looking over at Theron, "Can be quite the culture shock... Earth is definitely different from the rest of the Federation in its own way."

"True." Theron replied. "I, of course, had been to other world before. But yes, Earth seemed very different. I guess a more diverse population of species than I expected."

Alex laughed, "It's pretty diverse in its own population of humans, not just other species. Each are molded by their own experiences and regions where they live, because Earth is so diverse."

Rhodes sat quiet for a moment thinking of what this wise cook had just said. He glanced over at some fruits and vegetables lying behind them on a counter. Eyeing a tuber, an idea occurred to him, "It is like that root, there behind you."

Alex looked over his shoulder at the tuber root. "Hmm? The Tuber root?"

Rhodes continued, "If you think about it, there is not really much to it. They are very nutritious, and filling, but most are rather bland, some a touch sweet." He looked real serious for a moment, then added, "It is what you do to it, that makes the dish special . . . enjoyable . . . desirable."

"Exactly, each world, every set of parents, defines a person, how they grow up, their values, etc. You just have to do the best you can, and let your experiences define you." Alex said with a shrug.

"So, . . . each individual has the potential." Rhodes continued, "It is their experiences and personal desires that make each interesting in their own way."

"Essentially, yes." Alex said as he pulled the sizzling pan off of the burner and pushed the stir-fry into a large bowl.

Theron lifted up slightly and peaked into Alex's bowl of food. "It certainly smells interesting."

"Spice is the variety of life." Alex said as he ran his hands under a sanitizer. "Anyways, Dinner is ready, so enjoy. I have to get back to fixing things." Alex setting the bowl onto the counter. "It was nice to meet you Mr. Rhodes." He finished before exiting the mess hall.

OFF:


Alexander Iella
Chef
USS Galileo

Lt. Theron Rhodes
Chief Securit/Tactical Officer
USS Galileo

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