Deep Space IC: Odysseus

[HotCider]

Victor Caldwell - Mess Hall / Tags: Bryanna, Ashleigh, & Deep Purple

It can’t taste as bad as it looks, can it?

Victor turned his head and gave the brunette (Miller) a look. There was a mild frown on his face as she’d notice his cheeks still fat with the food he had yet to force himself to swallow. He then overheard Bryanna and the Purple People Eater discussing her coffee. So the coffee was a no go...shit.

Here.

She had turned to him.

You probably need this more than I do.

She extended her steaming coffee cup to him and Victor stared at the brown liquid, making sure it wasn’t molten dung. He then glared up from the coffee cup to the Purple Menace that was handing it to him. Was she crazy? As his brows loosened upon his forehead and his coin-silver eyes trailed down to the cup again, she may have been able to figure that he had a change of thought. Victor cupped the mug, first feeling how hot it was in his grip before he removed it from her grasp. His eyes lingered on it, staring down at it nonchalantly. At that point, who could give anymore fucks?

Raising the coffee to his mouth, he tipped his head back and immediately his eyes clenched tight when the hot liquid touched his tongue and detonated across his taste buds with the mud she had been describing and maybe there had been some actual lava in it. It was so thick and grainy as though the coffee grounds—if there were any coffee grounds in it—had managed to slip through the filter into it. He drank enough to get the Asshole Sandwich down his hatch and then set the mug back down. The gulp that had followed with his neck muscles contracting to swallow down the gruel in one go had been so audible that the two sitting around him could have clearly heard it.

Victor hung his head afterwards as a quivering gasp left his lips as though the meal was hitting every step on the way down, making him shiver in disgust. He was done.

“Fuck this shit!” he hissed.

He rose about a foot from his seat and halted when the director got everyone’s attention with her cheery greeting. Slowly, the Marine sank back into his seat as he suspected the brief was finally beginning. Just in time to.

Two years. The Odysseus had managed to locate the vicinity the Galileo was in, in two years?

What if it had never found it? Victor thought. His brows then rose in shock at the realization. Suicide. Technically, they would have been still alive that was until the ship ran out of fuel or sailed into a planet, asteroid, or star. What did I sign up for again?

He wanted to slap his past self so bad. Slap that fucker like a pussy bitch.

Now, are there any questions concerning your duties? There is a much finer cuisine in the freezers and storage rooms of the cafeteria...

Victor launched from his chair and went striding briskly for the back doors of the cafeteria. He passed by the service counter as Fei Yen immediately started barking at him and following him like an annoying, yappy little rat dog. Victor didn’t understand a damn thing she was saying in English or in her Chinese as he wrenched open the freezers and began pulling out slates of frozen steak and sirloin. The woman had become background noise as Victor marveled over not just food, but real food. When his arms were full of the frozen meats he planned to grill, he finally turned to face the woman and asked, “Hey Grandma, you ever seen an old lady get punched?”

Fei Yen was startled into silence as she gazed at the Marine in horror—at least she understood something. She frowned right after and stormed out, “I quit!”

 

[SortOfBeautiful]

Bryanna - Tagging: Madison, Victor, Ashleigh, Colton.

“It’s nearly as thick as mud.” The other doctor answered, finally bringing some life into that Mess Hall with an actual conversation. There was hope, yet.

“But I had much worse during my residency. Wanna be doctors always make the shittiest coffee.” The woman added, causing Bryanna to just stare. She didn’t know how to take that reply; she couldn’t relate. Coffee was fucking coffee. Being a caffeine addict, Bryanna never really understood the coffee snobs who decided themselves what made a coffee taste horrible. When you put a shitload of sugar or cream in it, like Bry often did, what difference did it matter?

“Are you kidding? There’s no such thing as shitty coffee.” Bryanna began to smile, but it soon faded when the other doctor slid her cup of coffee over to her chicken sandwich savior. Damn it, she wanted it. She was willing to trade it for her sandwich, as if this was the fucking black market, but now the opportunity had passed. Perhaps she’d just have to get up off her ass and go look for something to drink. But others were soon joining their table, and Bryanna didn’t want to miss out on any introductions if people started actually communicating to each other. Right now it was just a lot of looking around, studying faces, judging body language, and avoiding eye contact. But Dr. Bryanna Mandrake was very well aware of her surroundings. Noting people’s quirks, and appearances.

Like the sandwich man’s furrowed eyebrows, indicating he might be angry, or annoyed. The other doctor’s purple hair was hard to miss. The fiery-headed woman’s smoking habit. As if her food wasn’t tasteless enough, now she had to smell smoke while she ate? Wonderful. And a little inconsiderate. But Bryanna wouldn’t say a word. The girl looked as if she could kick her ass, and this fragile blonde hadn’t been in a fight in her life.

Looking over to the other tables, Bryanna watched over another man. Tall, lean, military-short kind of haircut. And god, those eyes! They mirrored her own blues, and that on it’s own was appealing to her. It had almost distracted her from seeing the small Asian woman that had joined him, separated from the larger group. He wasn't eating, and didn't seem to say or do much.

Before the blonde doctor could continue her observation, only making eye contact with the other blonde for about a second, the man across the table from her cursed and shot up out of his seat. Bryanna let out a small gasp of surprise, a little startled by his outburst. She stared up at him in disbelief, not knowing how someone could be so quiet one moment, and angry the next.

"Merry Christmas!" Came another loud voice, also scaring the shit out of her. This voice was higher pitched, and she recognized it to be the director. Bryanna began to laugh out loud, unable to help herself. Either Rita had amazing timing, or the upset man got lucky. Pursing her lips, her soft laughter fell silent as her shoulders still shook. Bry cupped her mouth with her small hand to hold the rest of the laughter in so the director could speak.

Gallileo. The reason why they were all there. Bryanna looked around. Was she the only one at least a little scared? Sure, there was some excitement in being out here, making a difference, and doing something important. But...as spontaneous as that fun-loving blonde was, not knowing what had happened to the previous crew still scared the shit out of her.

When the briefing was over, Bryanna waited to see if anyone else was going to get up. She couldn't deny that the mention of 'better food', and a 'bar' had definitely brought more light into those pale blue eyes of hers. Bringing her hands forward to her tray, she pushed it forward on the table, dismissing it now that there was a slight chance of something better. She waited until Victor was by the cafeteria counter before she spoke.

"Maybe we should keep the alcohol away from that one, yes?" Smiling, looking around for a smile back to lighten the mood, Bryanna only found awkward stares. Shit, people needed to loosen up.

Clearing her throat, something she did to fill silence when words wouldn't come, Bryanna slowly stood up from her seat. Even if she wore a pretty smile, she was nervous as hell. These people were strangers. And this was their last night before the real fun began in the morning. She didn't plan on spending the night sitting there, exchanging awkward stares with people. She needed to stay distracted before her nervousness made the tightening in her chest even worse.

Pulling down that tight shirt that didn't seem to want to stay at her waist, Bry walked around the table to see if the food comment was true. Hell, maybe that's where the alcohol was stashed as well. And coffee, yes!

On the way there, she passed the other table until she was staring at that blue-eyed man again. When he made eye contact with her this time, she almost gasped. Those eyes were like a weapon. The color, the way he looked up at her, that gaze was much more intense than what she'd been expecting. She smiled warmly back at him, her pink lips curving as they struggled to find the words she wanted to say.

"You haven't eaten anything, are you okay?" That blonde, damp head tilted to the side. She wasn't his mother. But that didn't mean she couldn't be concerned. It was her nature. "Nausea can get pretty bad after cryo, I hear, but once you have something in your stomach, I can almost guarantee you'll feel better." That smile spread cutely, this time flashing her teeth. She didn't know how she made it sound like a promise. Maybe that was her nature, too.

"Come on, maybe we'll find something in that room back there. Something deliciously processed." She looked back over at Victor, his behavior leading the cafeteria woman to quit. Bryanna wasn't upset about it, that bitch had given her green goop. Slowly, she turned her head back around and placed a hand on her hip. A gesture that might tell him that she was waiting.

"You're not going to let me go back there alone with the Hulk, are you?"

 

[KattDclaw]

Kat - Mess Hall - Tagging: Bill

Kat saw with her elbows resting against the table, one tilted up with her cigarette dangling between her thin fingers, the other curled about the table and elbow. She let her crimson gaze drift about lazily, taking in the scenery and those that had gathered. Most were having issues downing the slop, a few vocalizing it loudly while others suffered quietly. Others just didn’t eat at all, a rather stupid idea, at least that was how Kat saw it. This wasn’t Earth, there wasn’t a fast food joint or a high dining restaurant around the corner. They weren’t part of the military, she was reminded of such over and over with each glance about she took.

It was almost disappointing, in its own weird way. Things made sense back then; they had a way of making life simpler. Kat had a way of detaching herself from the situations she experienced, mostly through the scope of her rifle. After the accident where she lost her eyes she never thought she would see again, let alone through a sniper rifle. Yet now, as she watched a few of the others drinking the swill they called coffee, all she could see was through a scope. Her digital vision reminded her of such constantly. Mentally she could focus on something specific, lock on the crosshairs and for a moment imagine she had a gun in her hands.

Just like old times.

The slap of a tray on the desk brought her out of the self induced reverie. A long trail of ash clung to the tip of her cigarette, all but forgotten in her hands. She didn’t flinch or outwardly react at first, all too slowly those carmine eyes turned to find someone sitting nearby. The man was wolfing down the shit on his plate with gusto, the sounds that came from his snapping jaw was atrocious. Not that Kat had made any more of an appetizing sight. She slowly brought the cigarette to her lips, letting them purse about the end as she took a deep breath and inhaled. She held it in for long moments as she tipped the cigarette and its ashes onto her empty tray. Kat watched with mild curiosity, there wasn’t much else going on and when he was chomping down on the congealed slop the guy didn’t look half bad. At least until he spoke. Half the time once the words left a man’s lips Kat felt the undeniable urge to put a cigarette out in his eye. Either an annoying voice or a pathetic pickup line; thankfully nothing of the sort came from this one. Instead it was a joke, a low grade one but a joke all the same. If there was one thing Kat could react to positively, it was humor. She was a sarcastic bitch most times, her humor ranged towards the dark side more often than not. So it was tame, he was just testing the waters, putting it out there to see how receptive she was.

“Oh…I’m sure you get a bright fuckin’ golden star. Right between your beady little eyes,” She said at length, letting the smoke out smoothly from between plush lips. She took him in easily, those eyes moving effortlessly over what she could see of the man. It was an intimidating gaze, the look of one that made it a habit of gauging people. Emotion was one thing cybernetic eyes didn’t display easily, they weren’t like human ones. They were more cold and brutal, if one watched them long enough that much was easy to pick up. The rest of her face made up for that fact though, her lips were wide and expressive, easily giving into smirking. They did that now, tugging at the right side as she cradled her chin into her hand.

“But don’t expect me to be impressed because you can eat your wheaties,” She added without missing a beat, just in time for Rita to make her presence known. The lights dimmed and the briefing begun.
Kat moved her gaze towards the holographic map of the ship known as Galileo. Idly she listened, taking not particular interest in it. She wasn’t there to look for survivors or get the ship working. Her job was to keep everyone else from dying out there. That was easy, what the hell would be occupying a ship that had been dead for ten years? No doubt it was gutted and the crew long dead, if they were lucky they would find scraps. Thus, Kat didn’t give the briefing that much attention, even if it came to it, a briefing wasn’t going to tell her how to shoot.

What the hell would this chipper little cunt know. Kat thought idly, taking another puff from her cigarette. It seemed within seconds Rita was upon her and her fingers suddenly empty. Sharply Kat snapped her head in the woman’s direction, only to see her put the cigarette out in her palm. Sharp brows arched at the sight, a near sneer spread out across her lips and those cybernetic eyes shot daggers.
It was a curious feeling, a mixture of curiosity and anger. There was something up with the peppy girl…Kat just couldn’t put her finger on it.

 

[Light Ice]

Colton - Mess Hall (Tagging: Devlyn & Bryanna)

Memories lived, breathed. He felt them flit through the recesses of his mind, harboring themselves in narrow corridors, twisting elusively through his fingers. He only wished it was the cryo, one of many symptoms, but the scattered assortment of thoughts had only worsened for the better part of his last three waking years. It was said that a soldier, over time, found himself in the soul’s bleak mirror. It hadn’t escaped him that he was overdue. Colton Ford had been running from it for the better part of his life. He knew, in the parts of him now that saw and comprehended, that sooner or later he’d have to face it regardless. But now, buried in the belly of the ship and surrounded by strangers, he chose to run once more.

It wasn’t a choice of cowardice so much of instinct. He’d learned to run early. Learned to fight early. Learned to kill early. But that was the order those things had come, the orders in which he did them. He remembered the gangs and the brutes and the desperate degenerates and the squalor they all fought within. Sewage, filth, and the trash of a thousand towering glass and concrete mountains that loomed above like some powerful reminder that poverty, real poverty, was further from godliness than anything in the known world.

He’d once watched a man, starving and crippled under the buckling weight of chem addiction, eat a rat raw with bones and all. He’d taken it up in gnarled fingers and, without shame or doubt or fear, bit down into the greasy fat belly of fur. Human teeth, even in the best of condition, were not a predator’s teeth. He’d struggled, tearing and biting, until at last the thing had split open and filthy blood and guts had poured across his lips. Colton had heard the man make a sound, not quite a sigh, but a rush of air and relief and necessity as he crunched bones and chewed innards and swallowed all that was left of Colton’s belief in humanity’s superiority along with his meal.

People were animals. They were, without a doubt, raw and at their heart as primitive as anything.

But the people here were still cushioned in civility, still pampered. There was no battle or hardship to bring it out of them. The animals lay buried beneath layers and layers of culture and civility. It wasn’t that he held it against them, he didn’t. He preferred humanity’s shinier vision of itself to the world’s more cruel and potent reality. He simply understood it. And was wary of it. Because, if things went badly, it was the darker nature of people that he’d have to manage and coach.

His thoughts were broken, briefly, by a woman seating near him. They met eyes and he managed to nod to her, unsure of what would be expected or wanted in that moment. The rules of social interactions were ones that he’d never entirely felt comfortable with. It’d been easier in the service. Everything was bleak. Blunt. And clear. Still, she was a tiny thing, and the masculine desires lurking inside him began to coil. He didn’t know her name. He didn’t know anyone’s name. (Devlyn)

Briefings, despite boring some, were telling. He watched Rita as she spoke, pulling nothing from the way she moved or spoke, other than the fact her persona was perfectly manicured. Perfectly composed. It was almost inhuman how little she revealed of the company’s intentions or concerns. If there was anything they weren’t being told, as a crew, he’d never know it from watching Rita. Her smile was plastic but elegantly so. If anything, given the purity of the corporate line she espoused and the money that Oracle had offered, he thought there was a high likelihood that something dark lurked aboard the derelict ship.

The threat didn’t trouble him so much as the relative mystery of the personnel involved. It was going to be hard enough to look out for a crew he didn’t know – but if there were survivors, which he was inclined to doubt given the condition of the ship as it was described, that’d be an even more difficult proposition. There seemed to be no real command established between the security personnel, which he was glad of, because if two teams were involved then it only served as sensible that each team would have it’s own security man. And, in that instance, he’d only be managing a small group and he wouldn’t have to adjust to another approach as the expedition stretched on.

Colton looked over the ship, blinking in artificial glory, and quietly considered the layout until it lived within his memory. A chill ran through him. He let it. Feeling, all at once, like a kid amidst the filth looking up at glass and steel spires once more. He did what he could to learn, to become familiar, and even though he’d let the nanomachines coursing through him upload the map – he wanted to feel it. To know it.

But the briefing was brief, too much so, and there was no mention of a secondary one to follow for security personnel. There was no Intel. No real plan. His stomach, still aching from cryo, knotted further against the grim and quiet certainty of his realization. His eyes tracked briefly past the attractive Asian woman and to the crowd assembled in the mess. Glasses. Doctors. A pair that could only have been security, or labor, whose measure held with it the tired, worn, unimpressed overcompensation of the battle hardened. Archetypes.

He suddenly doubted very much that if anything went wrong they’d all survive.

The blonde caught his eyes. (Bryanna) Or rather, they found one anothers. Amidst the cleanly lit room and the milling conversations she was all blue eyes, all damp hair pressed back together and furrowed where she’d combed it back. She didn’t hesitate. She spoke. Appraising him. Prattling, not unpleasantly, about the conditions he’d become so familiar with in the course of too many drops and too many missions. She flashed warmth. Life.

He nodded. The words evaporated, as he’d expected them to, because they were as ever a tricky and elusive mistress. He’d never had much faith in words. Talking could only get you in trouble where he was from. When an insult, perceived or real, could be enough to get a jagged piece of metal pressed into you while you picked your way across the garbage beneath the shadow of the world all these people knew and called home.

“I could use some water and aspirin.” He offered.

Simple. Curt.

But she provoked a faint, ghostly-thin smile that he felt roll through the grim cast of his face as he rose. Steadily, he was glad, even though his body ached and the world briefly tilted. In truth, the room’s sudden burst of life and the promise of drinks and celebration that inspired it, was chasing him after the blonde. His eyes tracked over her, briefly taking in the shape of her face and the elegant line of her features. She’d warm eyes. Blue. Deeper than his own. They reminded him of Elsa. Pain rippled through him in the wake of the memory but he moved on undaunted, used to those aches by now. She was closer now. Her shampoo was sweet and didn’t make him sick.

Still, he followed. Quiet, otherwise. Uncertain of how to use this chance to flee from the others and to his quarters.

 

[SortOfBeautiful]

Dr. Bryanna Mandrake - Tagging: Colton.

Bryanna waited. She wasn't nervous, and she didn't hold the least bit of doubt that she would be refused. It wasn't overconfidence, but confidence definitely radiated from her as she stood there, one hand on her slender waist.

“I could use some water and aspirin.”

So, he could speak. Bryanna continued to smile as soon as the words left his mouth. His voice was deep, like she expected. It suited him. Most people couldn't work with someone who was so short, even unreadable. But if there was anything Bryanna Mandrake was skilled at besides her work in the medical field, it was making friends.

Maybe her bright, smiling face promised trust. Even when her constant need for attention and to be liked often split people in the other direction. People who found her cheerfulness to be annoying. People who thought her positive attitude was fake. A front. Well, they'd be wrong. If anyone took the time to look close enough, they'd see that she could be read like a book. Here was a young woman who meant every word she said, gave more respect to people than they sometimes deserved, wore her heart on her sleeve, and didn't have any deep, dark secrets in her past that would eventually come and sneak up on her. You either liked the blonde, friendly doctor, or you hated her.

As he rose from his seat, Bry instantly took a step back to give him the space he might need. He was taller than she expected him to be; even taller than Victor. But she, too, was one of the more taller girls on the ship as well. Nodding over at him, she led the way toward the back of the Mess Hall so they could check out the food storage closet. After only a few steps, that blonde head was turning, peering over her shoulder to look back at him and make sure that he was following her. He was.

Once inside the closet, Bry observed that it actually looked more like a room than a closet. Lined along the walls were shelves stocked with food, mostly packaged and vacuum-sealed. There were more shelves in the center of the room, which almost hid the thick metal door on the far end of the closet, which she assumed might be some kind of freezer. Bryanna's stomach grumbled just at the sight of the food, even if her biggest craving had turned to coffee, thanks to the other doctor.

But she hadn't forgotten about him.

Walking through the room, those ocean-blue eyes gazing over the products, she found some bottled water already stocked on one shelf by the metal doors near the back. The water wouldn't be very cold, but it was water. Grabbing one, she held it out in her small hand, stretching her arm for him to take it.

"Here," she offered, waiting for him to join her at the back and take it from her. "I'm Bryanna, by the way." No, she didn't refer to herself as Dr. Bryanna. Or Dr. Mandrake. Everyone on this ship may as well have been her patient, but she wasn't exactly working tonight, was she? Being a doctor was what she did and loved. But it wasn't entirely who she was.

Holding out that water between them, without even thinking about it, Bryanna brought the water bottle closer to her body. Making him step forward to take it. As if she were holding it hostage, until he offered his own name in return. She was good at this.

"I didn't see any aspirin back here, did you? No drugs at all, actually. They must be kept in the Locker, and I know we'll have some in the Infirmary. Can you wait, or would you like to talk a walk,--"

Her voice trailed at the end of her sentence because she wanted to finish it with his name, and she soon realized that she hadn't given him the chance to give it to her yet. She smiled again, ignoring the pink blush that was currently beginning to warm her soft cheeks.

 

[JudeRodney]

Colin - tagging: Victor, Devlyn

Christmas. It was Christmas and what served this shit? Where was the Christmas dinner? The glazed ham. The goose, and all that good stuff? Colin bit his tongue when Director Rita mentioned the food. He wanted to say “Maybe next time, don’t make it taste like a rotting corpse!” The stuff was just downright disgusting. At least there was some real food available in the kitchen, and once “Li’l Miss Sunshine” was done with her speech he would more than happy to raid the kitchen.

He watched intently as the director outlined the mission parameters. As the chief engineer he would head the team charged with getting the Galileo back in working order. The captain and Miss Rita may be in command of this mission, but everybody knew he was the most important part of it. Back on Earth he studied the derelict ship extensively, learning its systems from top to bottom as well as the best way to get the power bock on. He only prayed to whatever god was out there that it could be reactivated.

Lucas kept his attention on the hologram until the Director deactivated it and made her final speech and headed off. While the rest of the crew may have the rest of the day free, he and his engineers had other things to do. "Engineering team," he started as he stood up, "We'll have a meeting in the techno section in two hours. In the meantime, let's get some real food."

His short trek to the kitchen was interrupted by the chinese lady storming out repeatedly cursing under her breath. He allowed himself a slight smile as whatever pissed her off was justice for the shit she dared to serve. Inside, he noticed a man (Victor) holding an armful of various meats getting ready cook.

"Hey there," Lucas said to him. "If you're not cooking all that for yourself, make me a steak, medium well, and I'll break out the beer."

 

[Vailyn]

Devlyn - Tagging: Crew in Mess Hall

Mess Hall

It didn't take too many bites of the goo to settle Devlyn's growling belly. Well, it was more of a shocked appeasement to what entered her system than the happy contentment of a well savored meal. She absently laid her fork down by the tray of goop and turned her full attention to the crew.

Watchful golden brown eyes traveled around the room, the general look and feel of the mess hall made her think of the cafeteria at George Mason University. It wasn't about the size. The one at her old college was significantly larger than this compact room. The resemblance lay with the diverse crew members that filled the room. The only place she has ever been exposed to a wide range of people from all walks of life was there. Dev came to realize how lucky she was to have been adopted by her parents. She had no idea that she was a part of a privileged class. She took it for granted that everyone had a nice home and plenty to eat. That violence happened in isolated incidents or in the midst of war. She didn't know that the majority of the population on Earth lived in varying degrees of poverty. It was there that the knowledge she has soaked up for years from her parents and schooling really sank into place. What she had read about and watched on vids became real in all of its glorious, horrifying, intoxicating, overwhelming and painful truths. The extreme variables and limitless experiences captivated her as much as it repelled her.

Math and sciences are what Devlyn had grown up with all her life and her quick mind loved to use her skills to create new things, restore life to old ones and manipulate a mountain of disparate parts into forming a new one that may push the boundaries of systematic truths. Engineering is an extension of Dev and a hobby that paid well.

But people. People were a wild variable that were hard to contain in a singular partition. All those discussions with her parents about different personalities, cultures and societies used to fire up her vivid imagination. Tidbits of knowledge that she enjoyed. None of it became real to her until she entered the university. It was there she realized how little she knew about life and people. How little she had experienced in her sheltered bubble of love that her parents had provided for her. People are fascinating and she felt drawn to interact with the wide gauntlet of personalities and experiences that made them unique. To live by experiencing life rather than just reading about it.

It would help if I was more outgoing. Her lips curved in wry amusement and she glanced at her silent companion. The sharp lines of his face have relaxed since she had first sat down at the table. Without the palpable veil of fatigue, Colton Ford's haunted blue eyes, lean sinewy physique and well groomed appearance made up a starkly handsome man. Something about him, something about the distance he held between him and the rest, urged her to reach out. Devlyn started to when a loud greeting rang out in the hall and intercom system.

"Merry Christmas~s!" said an overtly cheerful brunette. Everything about the small woman was perfect. Her dark hair was swept up on her head without a strand out of place. Her clothing fit well without one wrinkle to mar it's lines. Her pretty face held a pleasant smile and expression that was meant to put the viewer at ease. Even her tone of voice was just the right level of warmth and clarity to be heard across the room. Everything about her should have put Devlyn at ease but something about her just didn't feel right.

Dev vaguely remembered the voice from when she woke up from cryo. Skimming the tablet, she put a name to the robustly peppy woman as the ship's director Rita Jackson. Basically the voice of Oracle and their boss on the salvage mission. She looks too young to be a director of anything.

The sparse and uninformative briefing began. Only listening to it with half an ear, Dev watched her crew mates instead and continued to add names to faces. Varying degrees of interest showed on their faces but it seemed like most of them were still disgusted with the beneficial goo they were given for their first meal.

Devlyn's dark brows lifted a little. Top notch in my field? I was one of the best students and I've won my share of awards but that certainly doesn't make me an expert. Pretty words to placate and say nothing of substance. Huh.

She was surprised to see Rita extinguish a cigarette on her palm. The director didn't show any reaction. In fact, Dev was sure she didn't see a burn mark when Rita patted her hands clean. Cyber-genetics? Artificial limbs? Hmm... looks like I need to do intensive research. I hate being in the dark.

The overall mood brightened instantly when Rita announced that the crew had the night to celebrate. Dev certainly perked up when she heard that there were provisions on board to make real food. Two men rushed to the kitchen as soon as the meeting ended. (Tap-tap) The large imposing man that burst into the kitchen first was Victor Caldwell and Colin O'Brien, the chief engineer, followed him after announcing a meeting for engineers.

I better get a move on if I want to cook! A wide smile full of high hopes for a real meal shined from her heart shaped face.

"Hey, is anyone else in the mood for a real Christmas meal? I'm going to see if I can whip something up." she declared to the room with bright eyes. She put away her gadgets into Gizmo, stood up to go and turned to face Colton's broad back and tall form. He's really tall! She was about to say something when she realized that a pretty blonde was talking to him. I think that's Dr. Brynna Mandrake. She has a bright pretty voice. I wonder if she can sing?

With a light shrug, Devlyn left the table to find out what kind of ingredients and kitchen appliances were available. She rubbed her hands in anticipation. She loved cooking and eating good food. One of the many loves that she has absorbed from her parents. Dev found Victor hacking away at a frozen slab of meat as Colin stood to the side. She couldn't help but laugh at the sight.

The freezers were fully stocked with a large variety of meats. The kitchen had a Vivati-Top which can defrost or rehydrate food. Three thermal pressure ovens, a Chawbur ray grill and Tattswave for baking, smoking or drying food. Dev started to hum a jaunty tune as she explored the kitchen and ventured to the storage room for other perishables.

Dodging from one spot to another, Devlyn gathered everything she needed to make the meal she has planned out in her mind. Luckily, most of the items were miniscule packages of dried and shrunken items. Altogether, they overloaded her arms. Strategically placing her small chin on top of the pile helped to keep the precarious mass together. Her svelte form shrank with curved shoulders and she looked like a tiny hunchback. Dev's vision narrowed to what was directly in front of her and holding onto her ingredients for a proper Christmas meal as she headed back to the kitchen.

 

[Spectacles]

Ben - Tagging: Sofia

Ben glanced up, realizing her eyes were on him. He swallowed down the bite of goo in his mouth. Or at least, he tried to swallow it. The stuff clung to the back of his throat, and he coughed as he tried to force it down, as he tried to force his throat and stomach to accept whatever the fuck it was they were calling food.

Her voice brought a smile to his lips. His sea-green eyes lingered on her face, on her purple hued eyes in particular. He chuckled and glanced away for an instant, looking to the clumps of goo on his tray in their various colors. “I don't know what fucking vitamins are in it, but I'd rather do without, myself.”

His lips parted as if to speak again, one corner of his mouth curved into a smile still. But he bit off any further response as the all too energetic director hopped up and began the briefing. Ben began to zone out almost immediately, ignoring anything after her quip about the food not being to their liking. Of course it wasn't to their fucking liking.

The briefing didn't particularly concern him anyhow. He was only here to patch up any injured until the docs got a chance to look at them. Whatever the hazards of the mission might be, there was a pretty good chance that it'd be good ol' human stupidity causing most of the accidents and injuries. And how do you plan for that? Tell people not to be fucking morons, that's how. But do they listen? Of course not. Because they're fucking morons.

The end of her little speech caught his attention. The smile returned to his lips. He looked back across the table to the brunette. “I don't know how much of that you paid attention to, but I have to say that I rather liked the last bit about having tonight off.” Then he laughed to himself, realizing he didn't even know her name yet, and she didn't know his. “Apologies. I should've introduced myself by now. I'm Ben Blackburn, a medic.”

The hustle of people rising to raid the kitchen caught his interest from the corner of his eye. “And I don't know about you, but I'm thinking maybe they've got the right idea about finding some actual food.”

 

[StoryTime87]

Bill - Mess Hall - Rec Room - Tagging: Kat and anyone else who noticed

Mess Hall

Bill listened at crimson haired woman's retort while wisps of smoke smoothly escaped her plush lips. He was slightly hesitant, unsure of the connotation of the woman's words; a spoon full of grub paused at his lips as the woman's carmine eyes took in his visage. He stared back into those red orbs, his eyes beginning to water at her intense gaze, feeling longer than what the moment actually was. Until he saw the lines of her mouth break out into a wide smirk that he returned with a toothy grin, the lines of his eyes curving into a half moon. He didn't know what to make of the abrasive woman, but knowing that someone had a sailor's vocabulary gave him a sense of comfort in such unstable times.

He returned his attention to the congealed sop, systematically scooping the sludge into his mouth, as the light's dimmed and an enthusiastic voice rang through the air. Her voice was piercing causing Bill to wince as she began the briefing. He lifted his eyes towards the neon blue lights projecting the ship they were about to rescue.

It was larger than he expected, something he had never piloted before. Something must have gone terribly wrong for a ship with that much crew to suddenly be adrift in space. Unease permeated through his groin but that probably was chalked up to the unappetizing slop that he was shoveling into his gullet. He listened and subconsciously questioned the spunky woman's words. Top of our class? If we were so valuable I doubt we would've been sent on such a risky mission.

His eyes followed Rita as she slowly stepped towards the crimson haired woman and plucked the cigarette right out of her fingers. It took all of Bill's might to not spew the food in his mouth out in laughter, trying hard to not attract the attention of either woman. The muffled sounds of his amusement turned into fits of coughs as bits traveled down the wrong pipe. Well, so much for that.

Eventually Bill recovered in time to listen to the rest of the briefing though really only picking up the words "bar" and "finer cuisine". "Motherfucker," he exclaimed under his breath as he looked down at his empty tray, bits of muddled colors contrasted against the tan color. The final verdant spoonful of grub mocked him as he held it in front of his face as the lights were turned back on; Bill debated the purpose of putting the last bite of such garbage into his mouth. That was short lived as he devoured the slop off of his spoon with a grumble, not to be defeated.

He watched as two men headed off towards the freezer, but the unappetizing food he devoured left his appetite relatively satiated. Or at least one of them. He cautiously eyed the flame haired woman across from him, not knowing her state after Rita's actions. "Well, if Wheaties doesn't impress you, I bet tequila would do the trick", he pipped up as he gave her a mischievous grin. "Name's Bill," he finished curtly as he stood up and scanned the room for the bar.

Bill spotted the bar and headed towards it, a pitiful small thing near where the drinks were held that would probably only fit one bartender at most. Though the towering liquor cabinet that it surrounded was a sight to behold. Gracefully hopped over the stainless steel counter top, he noticed a dull red LED and a lit green LED on the handles of the door. Grasping the handle in his rough hands, he pulled open the brown cabinet doors to show the vast collection of spirits it contained. Despite the strict rules on alcohol on board, they sure did keep it well stocked.

He eyed the rows of spirits, his orbs glazing over different types of liquid courage until his eyes fell on the clear fluid he was searching for. Grabbing two handles of tequila, he ducked under the bar door and headed towards the exit of the Mess Hall. He looked back at the crimson eyed woman and the rest of the crew not in the kitchen, shaking the bottles enticingly before exiting the Mess Hall and heading towards the Rec Room.

Rec Room

The rec room was a spacious area with a pool table and card table in each corner with a ping pong table straddling the middle of them. A lcouch and two lounge chairs surrounded a table that faced a large flat screen TV. He settled on the red couch and placed both bottles onto the brown coffee table as he started unscrewing the top of a bottle of the clear tequila as he realized he forgot the shot glasses.

 

[heartofcourage]

Tagging - Bryanna and Victor

“Of course there’s shitty coffee. That’s what makes the medical world go round.” Maddie said as the other doctor smiled brightly and looked shocked that she would even suggest such a thing.

Madison could never truly understand the cheerful doctors that were bright and sunny. Their bedside manner impeccable, but their personality always seemed a little…fake. Their job wasn’t glamorous. It wasn’t fun. It was necessary and gritty, perhaps even more so on this hunk of junk ship floating in the middle of nowhere.

Speaking of bright and sunny, the ship’s director was that kind of woman as well. She hated those kind of women. They always seemed to get under her skin and she could already feel her blood pressure rocketing into the stratosphere.

Her attentions were caught yet again by the man with the chicken sandwich. He gagged on the coffee for a moment before forcing himself to swallow in a great gulp. She knew the feeling. She could probably even empathize, but she knew that if they forced themselves to eat the slop that this ship called food, there would be a lot of people in the sick bay.

She was startled as the man launched himself from his chair and marched back into the cafeteria, insulting the cook before he started pulling out large slates of steaks and sirloins. She cocked her head to one side and immediately followed after him, her training kicking in as she leaned against the wall of the kitchen and watched him a while longer.

“Hey, Bucko, you do know that eating all of that will make your weak, shrunken little stomach feel even worse, right? And when you start puking on your shoes, you’re in my domain and I have little sympathy for people that had caused illness upon themselves.”

 

[SiaKlynn]

Sofia Vasco: Mess Hall Tagging: Ben and Devlyn

She spoke her theory on the food sitting on her plate and watches him with a mixture of sympathy and amusement as he chokes down a bite. Holding back a laugh she pushes her water his way in case he might need assistance washing it down. Their eyes meet when he looks to her and she realizes she’s been staring at him for longer than seems polite; for an instant she feels caught, but as his gaze lingers a chuckle comes from his throat, her smile relaxes.

“I don't know what fucking vitamins are in it, but I'd rather do without, myself.”

Nodding in agreement she laughs, the ice broken, she senses the conversation will move smoothly, but it will have to wait. The perky woman with dark hair and a voice all too chipper calls their attention by wishing them a Merry Christmas. It certainly doesn’t feel like a holiday or any day in particular; in fact, it feels like only yesterday she signed the contract accepting the mission.

Sofia smiled to herself as the matter of the food is addressed and finds her assumption was correct, not that it was rocket science or anything. She listens and stares at the holographic images of the Galileo wondering what sort of malfunction may have happened and what condition will they find the ship, will it even be in one piece? The thought of the crew’s fate brings a frown to her lips, what if they’re headed to the same fate? An unsettling feeling takes form in the pit of her stomach. When she signed the contract after being hired the only thought was the thrill of the adventure – traveling into space, exploring, it was exactly what she wanted. The dangers barely had entered her thoughts until now.

And it wouldn’t do any good to dwell on them either. Rita’s movements catch her attention and she watches as the petite woman plucks the cigarette from the red-haired woman and extinguishes it in the palm of her hand. What the… her eyes widen the woman didn’t even flinch she simply went about speaking. Is this woman real? And she thought Rita was odd before.

When the briefing ended Sofia felt a mixture of potential dread and the desire for real food as her stomach growls. The man with the chicken sandwich nearly jumps from his seat and heads to the kitchen, violet eyes track him for a second before she turns back to the man sitting across the table to find him smiling at her, a smile she returns.

“I don't know how much of that you paid attention to, but I have to say that I rather liked the last bit about having tonight off.”

“I’ll admit my mind wandered a bit.“ She responds with a little nod, a few short layers falling above her brow, “It is nice that we’ll have tonight adjust to our surroundings.”

“Apologies. I should've introduced myself by now. I'm Ben Blackburn, a medic.”

She smiles, it hadn’t dawned on her that they’d failed at introductions. “Sofia Vasco, I’m the science team’s anthropologist. It’s nice to meet you Ben.”

“And I don't know about you, but I'm thinking maybe they've got the right idea about finding some actual food.”

The movement of people to the kitchen had increased and Ben was reading her mind or his stomach. “Yes, shall we?”

The palm of her hands on the table she pushes up and slips from the table, looking over her shoulder at Ben briefly as she begins to walk to the kitchen. There was already a bit of action going on, but it was a petite Asian woman who caught her eye because it is apparent from what is laid out on the counter that she has a specific meal in mind. Walking a few steps closer she glances to Ben and then back to the woman, asking softly, “I’m pretty useful in the kitchen would you like any help?”

 

[HotCider]

Round 3: Victor Caldwell/Captain Isaiah Rosencrantz - Mess Hall - Tags: C, D, & Dr. M

Victor laid out the meats into separate rows: steaks made the first row, burgers the second, and sirloins the third. He kept them safely spaced as they began to bubble and slowly defrost on the Vivati-Top. He had the settings on their lowest so he could find time to explore the storage cabinet for some ingredients to make a thick marinade, sauce and rub. As he had been laying them out, one of the shipmates greeted him.

Hey there...if you’re not cooking all that for yourself, make me a steak, medium well, and I’ll break out the beer.

“You got it. Bring me a cold one while you’re at it,” Victor replied with a hybrid expression between a smirk and a smile. It was just smug.

He headed for the storage room and on the way, a hunched over woman scurried past him with her arms full of supplies. She could have collided with his arm, but without sparing her one glance, Victor threw his arm up and over her so that she slipped on by him, a waft of his spiced cologne following her. He walked down the aisles, steel-eyes skimming the labels on the shelves. He grabbed a few pressure-sealed jars of seasoning, ketchup, various vinegars, sugars, et al. When his arms were full—but not as full as Devlyn’s—he returned to the stove top and set down the supplies. Glancing over his ingredients, he noticed that he was missing one important herb. Secretly, the Marine’s eyes trailed over to the ingredients the little woman had set out and he took notice of the onions and onion powder. He didn’t feel like returning to the storage room to get his own when there were full containers right there. Somebody was going to learn about sharing today. As Victor walked over and openly snatched the onion powder from Dev’s side of the kitchen, a voice had trailed over to his ear.

Hey, Bucko, you do know that eating all of that will make your weak, shrunken little stomach even worse, right? And when you start puking on your shoes, you’re in my domain and I have little sympathy for people that had caused illness upon themselves.

Victor inspected the container, taking his time to understand the mechanisms that kept it locked. He appeared to have ignored the doctor for a brief twenty seconds before he pulled back on a small tab and the canister responded with a sucking noise, much like a can of soda. Satisfied, he turned and headed back over to the stove and turned his head to regard Dr. Madison with a nonchalant—no-fucks-given—look.

“If I puke, it’s not going to be because of this food. Who are you any way? Some purple-headed shrink or some shit? You going to stand there and keep telling me about my health or you going to ask me for a damn burger?”

He turned his back to her as he started preparing a sauce bowl.

_________________________________________________________________

The glass capsule opened, exuding a white cloud of hot gas and steam as a glistening figure rolled out onto the floor. His skin was tan and his hair and brows a bleach-blonde that was more white than it was blonde. He coughed and hacked up what he feared was his own stomach, and then slowly hefted his shoulders off the ground by planting his large hands upon the floor. As he coughed, over his shoulder, a lone woman in a black suit and white blouse gazed on at him with a lively smile.

“Welcome aboard The Odysseus Captain Isaiah Rosencrantz,” Rita greeted professionally.

That name...He knew that name. As water dripped from his brows and beard, he coughed once and rasped quietly, “Fuck my sister...”

The captain rested a hand upon the side of the capsule and slowly rose to his feet being mindful of the moisture beneath him. He stood above Rita by a good foot, but had yet to regard the director just yet. His blue eyes were taking in the dimly-lit chamber he was in—one that had been separate from the chamber the other crew members had awoke in. His chamber was smaller, private, with his capsule being the only visible device in it. It strangely made him feel like a vampire, waking from a long sleep.

“What am I doin’ here?” the captain asked as a disturbed frown furrowed his brows.

“This is the Odysseus, and you are its captain,” Rita answered.

“I died. I ain’t supposed to be here.” He was spooked.

“And Dr. Calvin brought you back.”

Turning a eye over his shoulder, he asked on a gruff tone, “What?”

“See for yourself.”

As he turned around, a tall, rectangular square, outlined in a gold light expanded before him, portraying a stranger—a man who he had never seen before, but had a familiar look about him. The captain stared hard at the mirror, taking in the lean figure. He had abs and no longer the fuzzy, beer belly he had been close with. He rested his hands upon his stomach and slid them up to the hard pectorals of his chest. He once had saggier tits than an 80-years-old grandmother, but now he was feeling like that John Claude Van Dam fella’ that they kept reincarnatin’ so that he’d keep making his crummy action films.

“You are witnessing the power of the Oracle Corporation. Dr. Calvin engineered you himself. When we recovered your body from the remains of the U.S.S. Triton that crashed in Africa, we managed to salvage enough fresh tissue cells to clone and graft your entire composition. We reconstructed everything, and made you better than you were before; healthier; younger.”

The captain traced an index finger over the scar over his right eye and the smaller one cutting through the left side of his lip. He still looked old enough to be someone’s daddy, but there wasn’t a wrinkle on his body that portrayed his actual age. He looked ten years younger, and fitter than he was back then.

“Damn Da Vinci missed a spot.”

“He left those scars because he thought that they gave you character. You are the first test subject that he has ever been able to successfully reconstruct. All the others have failed, but you...” Rita’s face brightened. “I am so excited to see that Dr. Calvin’s dream came true. I cannot wait for him to see you. He will be so happy.”

The captain arched a brow at the director and lowered his hand from his face, “Yer ‘bout as sick as a dog eatin’ his own penis. Put me back in the ground where I belong. I ain’t runnin’ no ship.”

“Captain Rosencrantz...I will not tolerate such vulgar language on this ship. Whether you like it or not, you do not have a choice to be here. We are thousands of light miles from earth. You have been in stasis for two years now, but it took a year and a half for your body to regenerate with healthy cells.”

“Two years? What’s wrong with you people? What inspired you to think that a corpse runnin’ a damn ship was a good idea? I served my time, lived my life, I ain’t need t’see and do nuttin’ more!”

The mirror winked out of existence, revealing Rita still standing there and with a soft smile on her face. “I am sorry, Captain. It is Dr. Calvin’s wish that you remain alive. If you try to end your life, well...we’ll just have to bring you back now won’t we?”

The amused, child-like giggle the director uttered made the captain’s skin crawl. “If you choose to cooperate, then you can find your quarters by following The Pathfinder on the floor.”

As soon as she mentioned it, a blue line appeared along the floor. The captain glanced down at it with a defiant scowl. The expression was brief before he turned his back to Rita as he spoke about a personal matter, “My wife and daughter...are they alive?”

“Yes; but you are still dead to them. You must remain dead to them until the completion of this mission. You will be unable to contact them until you do.”

“Shoulda’ known there’d be some catch, and here I was thinkin’ Dr. Calvin had a heart of gold...”

Rita regarded the man silently and wearing her tiny smile. Her face showed what it always did, pleasant emotion, but the sarcasm the captain had used to slander Dr. Calvin’s name brought a glint of hidden malice to her eyes. She turned and clicked over to the chamber door.

“Have a Merry Christmas Captain. It is December 25, 3094,” she bade and strode out the door.

The captain remained there in the cryochamber. He didn’t have the energy to leave. Being alive had put so much weight on his shoulders. It was strange...dying. He had seen his life flash before his eyes and the world had gone black. In that darkness he hadn’t seen God or the Devil or known anything than what he knew now. Maybe he wasn’t given a chance to see the afterlife. His arms were crossed behind his back as he waded in his thoughts. A sensation of desperation suddenly pulled at his being. Angela...he wanted to call his wife and let her know that he was alive. Christina, he wanted to see if she ever wound up with that damn Roy Winchester. He hated that kid. He was no good for her, but she wouldn’t listen to her dear old dad. What a nightmare that would be. The captain’s brows lifted in astonishment as sadness weighed heavily on his heart, and he realized that he couldn’t cry.

 

[heartofcourage]

Tagging - Vic

Madison was a little put off by the response that the man threw back at her, but at the same time she found that she secretly liked the sarcastic no fucks given approach to life. She supposed that other doctors would have seen that renegade personality and instantly thought the person was a gold mine. Men like him often needed to be patched up and that could get expensive, nicely lining a doctor’s pocket. She simply saw a somewhat kindred spirit.

“Medium rare.” She said as she stepped into the room to see exactly what he was doing. “And the name’s Dr. Madison Scott. I suppose I should ask the same of you. Who are you any way?”

She placed her hands on her slim hips, staring at this strange man as she waited for the answer to her question. He was a Marine, that much she knew. His baring and his control told her that he was a man that many wouldn’t fuck with. Her experience was that many of them were softies at heart, push overs for a set of pretty eyes and a nice set of tits.

“Did you see any coffee in there? There’s no way I’m going to survive on the thick shit that they called coffee for the rest of this voyage.”

 

[Vailyn]

R3 Devlyn - Kitchen: Crew in Kitchen (V, C, Dr.M, S)

Mess Hall Kitchen

On the way back to the kitchen, Dev almost crashed into someone but the man raised his arm out of the way and saved her from sidestepping from her current course. A whiff of husky spice scented the air and teased her nose for a moment. It seemed like something she should know but she couldn't put her finger on it. Dev could only manage a grunt of thanks as they bypassed each other.

Back in the kitchen, Devlyn grinned as she scattered the goods on a long open counter. She placed the vegetables on the right, all the seasonings in the middle and the rest on the left of the counter. She gathered up all the vegetables and apples, spread them out on a Vivati-top and programmed the appliance to scan and revive the varied batch. She watched for a minute as stalks of asparagus, carrots, onions, scallions, mint basil leaves, cauliflowers, broccoli, garlic cloves, pile of kale, spinach bunches, potatoes, peas, corn cobs, colorful peppers, tomatoes and apples came to life. No matter how many times she's seen it happen, she's always delighted by how it all looks like it's growing before her eyes.

Grunting a little from the effort, the petite Asian pulled out a large rack of lamb and haunch of pig from the freezer. She placed them on the Vivati-top and programmed each hunk of meat to be scanned and defrosted within 20 minutes. More of the crew wandered into the kitchen.

Ah ha! I bet they want real food too!

A woman with carelessly styled short dark hair, zany violet eyes and friendly smile came over to look around Devlyn's chaotic mass of food being prepped. “I’m pretty useful in the kitchen would you like any help?” she softly asked.

Dev turned to her with a engaging grin. She put a name to the face. One of the scientists, Sofia Vasco. "Hi! Sure! The more the merrier and the faster we can get the goods out to eat. My name is Devlyn or you can call me Dev." She waved a hand to encompass the kitchen. "I think my stomach is dying for a tasty meal. Uhm..."

She pivoted slowly on one foot as she looked around at the various odds and ends she has thrown around this end of the kitchen. Her head tilted to the side as she returned to face Sofia. "How about desserts? Would you like to make them? I dug out stuff to make apple and sweet potato pies and cheesecake. Or if you have a better idea, go wild!"

The big guy, Victor sneaked over to her prep table and grabbed some seasoning. Another whiff of the spicy cologne drifted over to her and teased an old memory but it faded from reach. "Thief! You better share that! By the way, I like my steak medium rare." she called out after him. Dev's laughing eyes met Sofia's and they laughed! She pointed out the various ingredients and surplus goods to the scientist and Sofia joined the chaotic fun of making dinner.

Devlyn rolled her sleeves up and settled down to season the meats and put together the rest of the meal. Thankfully, with strategic use of the kitchen appliances and good timing, it doesn't take nearly as long to make the perfect meal. You just have to know what you're doing and juggle the timing perfectly.

As they worked, Devlyn told stories about how her parents would set up elaborate holiday dinners and each year it would be a totally different adventure as meals were set to replicate a certain era and culture. The worst experimental meal was the one based on a little known nomadic tribe in the wilds of Africa. Parts of the meal was based on insects, worms, snakes and small birds. Needless to say, Devlyn's facial expressions and full body shudders of disgust explained how well that worked out.

"I don't think I have a favorite meal with my parents and friends. We never repeated an experiment for the big meals and we always had friends join us for those events. I think my favorite part is when everyone shows up during the creation process and chips in to make the meal together. Then we all sit down and dig in--with mixed results! There were a few times we had to order delivery to fill hollow bellies!" Dev laughed as fond memories shuttered through her mind. "What about you?"

The rack of lamb was rubbed down with seasoning and suspended over the Chawbur ray grill. Dev programmed the grill to fire the rack with wood smoke and programmed it to have it done within thirty minutes. The haunch of pig was oiled, seasoned and wrapped up in banana leaves. It was suspended in the oven to bake and be done within forty minutes. Then it was a matter of chopping, mixing, seasoning and tossing the right items together to make the rest of the side dishes.

Somewhere in the middle of the process, Dev remembered to take a peek at what Victor was doing on his side of the kitchen. The grilling meat filled the air with savory smells. She took in a nice big breath as she came up next to Victor, Colin and Dr. Maddison Scott.

"MMmmmHmmmm! That smells great! You're a man with hidden talents!" She praised Victor. "Now you guys shouldn't fill up on just meat and booze. I'm making more food and Sofia is making dessert. Ah! I need this. If you need it back, you know where to find me." She grabbed the seasoning that Victor had taken earlier and went back to cooking up a storm. It's been a long time since Devlyn's had a chance to make a big meal and share it with loved ones. The crew were all strangers but it was the first chance she's had to recreate one of the family traditions that she secretly missed.

In a little over an hour, Devlyn had everything laid out and placed on customizable platters. She looked at the results of her labor with a bit of pride and enjoyed how it all made her mouth water with a keen desire to take a bite of each and every one of the dishes. It was a meal of items that she had enjoyed having with her family.

A succulent Hawaiian style Kahlua pig rested on fragrant banana leaves. Caramelized, grilled rack of lamb with crispy edges and tender meat lay on an elaborate platter. Vegetable paella with fluffy rice, buttered mashed potatoes, baked cauliflower, grilled asparagus, fancy mac & cheese, steamed broccoli and corn on the cob were arranged around the steaming meats.

Everything looked great! The taste tests as she cooked had made her moan in delight and feel like she was back in foodie heaven. Now, she just needed to give Sofia a hand and then they were ready to feed the masses!

"Hey, Victor! I think my pig or lamb will outdo your steak or burger! What do you want to bet?" Dev jokingly asked as she licked her fingers clean of the piece of lamb.

She pulled out her tablet, punched a few commands in and accessed the ship's intercom system.

"Merry Christmas everyone! If anyone is interested in a real Christmas meal, please stop by the kitchen by the mess hall. We have tasty meats, yummy veggies, fluffy rice and sweet desserts to tempt one and all!"

 

[KattDclaw]

Kat - Mess Hall - Rec room - Tagging Bill and indirectly Victor

The briefing came to an end and no one was the wiser as to what was really happening. Kat didn’t like the gash of a Director, but that didn’t really change anything. She didn’t get paid to like people, they didn’t give her new eyes to get along and rub elbows with anyone else. Still, it seemed like a good idea to reach out and at least try to make some sociable contact. At least, she might have thought of that before one of her cigarettes was ruined before she could even truly enjoy it. That put a little damper on her already volatile mood.

Thankfully, no one seemed to want to make note of it, except for the muffled sounds of mirth from the nearest person. Though if he kept up that sniggering he just might find himself across the room; Kat contented herself with mental images of throat punching him and Rita. That was enough to bring out another smirk to her plush lips. It would do for now.

With the briefing over, more than a few seemed more than thrilled to find more cook. The thuggish looking one raced off with the grace of a frenzied baboon. Several others followed after, just what they intended to do in there was beyond Kat. If they intended to cook, more power to them, the last thing Kat felt like doing was working. To the ex-soldier, cooking was working, simple as that. She never enjoyed preparing meals and she especially never enjoyed the cleaning up afterwards. Her trigger finger idly twitched on the table and it took all her willpower not to flick another cigarette into her mouth before Rita left. Instead, she chewed the inside her cheek and bided her time.

Bill’s words caught her attention and those carmine eyes were upon him in an unnaturally short amount of time. He had finished his slop and was already rising by the time his words sunk in. Slender brows arched lightly above those cybernetic eyes and her proud shoulders rolled in a slow shrug.

“The only thing tequila does is make your clothes fall off,” She retorted easily, though he was already stalking off towards the bar. His name echoed in her ears, Bill, she knew a Bill once. Who didn’t? It was the type of name that didn’t give much of impression. Bill was an adult name, someone who might be a professional. Now if he had called himself Billy, or even William, it might have been different. But to Kat, Bill was a clean slate, thus the man who was currently rummaging about behind the bar was as well. She’d let his actions decide what she thought of him, an amazing idea for one who was quick to judge a book by its cover.

Hey, he wasn’t half bad looking either. Of course, it had been two years. Maybe she was just desperate; Kat thought to herself and brought out that smirk all the more.
The waving of the bottle was enough for her. Already she heard the clatter of cutlery and dishes; if she stayed her any longer someone might come out with an apron and ask her to help. Then she’d have to punch them and one rarely made friends like that. With a sigh Kat pushed up from the table, her arms tensing as she leaned on the table briefly. She took a moment to stretch before that svelte frame strode towards the exit and followed after Bill without a second thought. He didn’t wait for her, instead, she found him in the rec room sprawled out on the couch and the bottles on the nearby coffee table.

Kat gave a customary glance around as she entered; her hands stuff into her pockets with her thumbs hooked about the outside. Her cybernetic gaze let her take an unnaturally quick reconnoiter of the room before those vivid eyes settled upon the coffee table. She still work that smirk, that little knowing smile as she gave the man a quick glance before she snatched up one of the bottles. She had taken her sweet time in getting her, not that there was much to see on the way here.

“The name’s Kat,” She finally said as she cracked open the bottle and brought it to her lips. Without pause she tilted her head back and took a long pull. Her throat worked the liquid down in several gulps before she relented, that beautiful face scrunched up and she gave a husky cough.

“Ugh. Merry fucking Christmas, Billy;” Her throat burned and her voice showed it, if those carmine eyes could water they would have. Instead, she felt a mild irritation about the edges at least that seemed a bonus. Holding the bottle by the neck she took another gulp before she strode closer to Bill and offered it to him by the next.

“Don’t tell me the lady needs a glass,” She said with that customary smirk, the stench of tequila thick in the air and on her breath. There it was, a challenge, even as an all too cheerful voice suddenly piped in out of nowhere. At first she thought someone else had followed, though it was nothing but a disembodied voice from the ships intercom. With a snort Kat smacked her lips, the pungent taste of tequila lingering potently on her tongue.

“Maybe I should get something on this before my clothes melt off,” She said with obvious sarcasm, dripping with it as she turned on her heels and sauntered back the way she came. She didn’t wait for Bill, he hadn’t waited for her and she didn’t really care at this point. By the time she reached the mess hall again the scent of actual food hit her like a stack of bricks. It made her stomach lurch and churn; the tequila warbled inside and already left her feeling tingly in the limbs and the tip of her nose.

 

[Light Ice]

Colton Ford - Mess Hall | Tagging Bryanna

His thoughts drifted. Strayed. Enamored, momentarily, with the conversation. Feeling human. His head swam and ached in that terrible reminder. Cryo was some awful nightmare. Men weren't supposed to live this way. They weren't supposed to live in tiny corridors of steel and glass. They weren't supposed to be frozen and unfrozen at will. They weren't supposed to grow up in the filth found at the bottom of Earth's sprawling cities.

That wasn't to say he engaged much. Words were tricky things and he'd never found much use for them. He simply enjoyed her chatter. The way she moved. The enthusiasm. The warmth. She lured him in and he went, willingly, forging on his face a weary smile that spoke only a fraction of the appreciation he felt was just to show.

Bryanna, she said. Young. And when she turned he got a look, a good look, at her eyes and the almost pointed intelligence that lay beyond them. He fell. Not entirely. Not like a child. But in parts, as a man, straining first at her beauty as she betrayed an almost athletic economy of movements. A hint of girlishness. A new ache breathed itself through him, brought tired muscles to bristle, and sharpened his awareness.

"If you're busy or want to get back to the others, I understand. I wouldn't mind the company, though." And he smiled.

The austerity of his face broke as it came, small but potent, warming his face and chasing away the wolfish cast that had kept him since he'd woken. His face would always be hard, masculine angles. A squared chin. Pronounced jawline. It was lean. Sharp. And yet, it warmed and warmed further, before he reached for the bottle she kept from him.

"What do you do here?" He asked.

He was genuinely curious. That surprised him. But her blush had warmed her cheeks and all at once his interest was rapt. It took everything he had not to stare, not to make clear just how masculine his reaction was becoming. It'd been a long time, even waking, since he'd felt a woman. Known that closeness. A man had needs and, yet, he didn't push them forward. Didn't immediately make it clear.

Unlike him. Strange.

Instead, he cut his eyes briefly beyond her to the racks of food, as though he'd ever care what lay beyond. They returned to her soon enough, settled plainly, admired the depth of their color and the contrast they held to his own.

"Besides taking mercy on a stale popsicle."

 

[SortOfBeautiful]

Dr. Bryanna Mandrake - Storage Room/Mess Hall. Tagging: Colton, and kitchen crew.

If Dr. Bryanna Mandrake couldn't get a name out of this strong, sharp, quiet, mysterious giant, she could at least get a smile. And when his lips curved like that, creating more shapes and angles to that tight, handsome face of his, it was hard to complain. She couldn't do much with a name, but Bry could work with a smile, even a sense of humor. Some people frowned often and remained emotionless and cold with even just the slightest bit of friendly conversation. That, Bryanna always thought, was for their own protection. A personal shield.

But that smile. His interest in her. It made her blush because she knew what it meant. Just a few minutes around her, and he trusted her. Blue eyes peered up at him through long lashes, and she smiled back, to prove he could.

Before the end of the night, she knew she'd get his name, whether he wanted her to have it or not.

"I'm a part of the security team." She told him, holding the lines of her face in order to keep from laughing. It was only a joke. A reason to see him smile again, since she was pretty convinced he fell into the Security category. When his eyes narrowed, finally, Bryanna's lips curved slowly, the smile creeping back onto her mouth again. "What, I don't fit the part? Fine." Laughing softly, Bry shook her head and exhaled a short breath.

"I'm a doctor," She told him, even though she was curious to find out what he thought her responsibilities would be on the ship. It was decided that security had already been crossed off the list. Easily. What kind of qualities did the security members need to have, anyway? Strong? Protective? Sharp? Good with a weapon? Maybe crowd control and defensive skills? Bryanna possessed none of those things. While fit and athletic, the seemingly petite and fragile blonde could hold her own, but not enough to make a living that way.

"But don't let--" She started, but then those deep blue eyes widened with surprise, finding something behind him, just over his shoulder.

Coffee!

Stopping mid-sentence, Bryanna took a long stride past him, brushing his arm, and her fingers found what she'd almost forgotten she was searching for. There was only one bag of ground coffee beans that she found, and she refused to believe that there wasn't more of it lying around somewhere. God, her eyes practically rolled in the back of her head just smelling the damn bag. But just incase, that blonde searched and looked around, her face serious and not giving away what she was looking for.

There. Hide it there.

Standing on the tip of her toes, Bryanna hid the bag of coffee behind a shelf of cleaning supplies. No one would be looking there any time soon, right? It would be safe for her in the morning. Looking over at Colton, who was still watching her, she brought her index finger to her lips in a "Shh" gesture, while those eyes were far more devious than before.

"Don't judge me. You haven't seen me in the morning, yet. After a long workout, if I don't have caffeine to keep me going, well...let's not even think about that." Laughing at herself, Bryanna stepped back over to him as others came in and out of the foot storage room. Just by the door swinging open and closing again, she was able to get a deep inhale of the food that was being made in the kitchen. Embarrassingly, her stomach rumbled and growled much louder than she would have liked in the presence of the opposite sex. Blushing once more, she placed her hand flat against her stomach and laughed.

"I don't suppose you'll want to try to eat something? If it doesn't make you feel better, we'll see to getting you that aspirin." She promised, waiting for his reply. Although, she didn't exactly wait long. Just the slightest hesitation from him told her that he was open to the idea, and she grabbed his hand that wasn't holding the water and tugged him with her back out into the kitchen. His palm felt rough against her smooth, soft fingers, and he held her hand with a gentle grip before she finally let their hands release free again when they were back outside. She tried not to let such a simple, innocent touch stir her thoughts. But damn it, she couldn't help it. Everything about this man had her senses on alert.

"Oh my god, it smells amazing in here." Bry spoke aloud, inhaling the delicious smell of red meat and seasoned vegetables and potatoes. It wasn't exactly like Christmas dinner at her parent's home, but it sure beat green slop. "If you have two extra steaks there, I'd love one. Him first, though." She pointed Victor to Colton, whom she volunteered to be served first. The blonde doctor doctor was admittedly better at cooking and baking than she was at grilling, and a part of her did wish that she had helped the other crew members prepare the meal. Even if the other part of her was happy to have made a new, handsome friend. With seducing eyes.

"Holy shit, is that macaroni and cheese?" Bryanna's blonde head tilted, asking Devlyn. Her pretty mouth was notorious for swearing at inappropriate times, and it seemed her excitement had failed in masking that to her new crew members. "You'll have to tell me how you made that, it looks amazing." She complimented the other girl, then looked back at Colton to see if he'd be grabbing a plate close behind her.

"The least I can do is get one of you a drink. Would you like something from the bar?"

 

[StoryTime87]

Bill - Rec Room to Mess Hall - Kat and indirectly Devlyn

Bill was in a daze as he sat on the couch, wondering if anyone would join him, especially the crimson haired woman that he shared a few words. He didn't know what made him rush off in a hurry though it seemed like a fitting time to get plastered; it was Christmas after all and he was surrounded by strangers heading off towards an abandoned ship. Seemed like that's how most of his Christmases went lately. From the briefing, it sounded like there was a lot of work to be done with little to no downtime so might as well enjoy whatever reprieve we can get our hands on.

A flash of crimson appeared in his peripheral vision. Turning and cocking his head to the side, the crimson haired woman sauntered into the rec room much to his delight. Bill didn't have much of a chance to notice her luscious figure while in the mess hall, but damn did she have it going on. Her body was lithe and taut, an abundance of lickable curves from head to toe. Damn, not even a drop of tequila yet and his mind was getting lost in her form as she bent over snatched up one of the bottles from the table in front of him.

The smoothness of her figure contrasted with her attractive face while it contorted as she took a swig from the tequila bottle. This wasn't her first rodeo as she it up with another gulp of tequila; at this point he could only imagine the searing sensation as it traveled down her body. Bill quickly took the bottle from her hands, her retort ringing in his ears, as she stood over him mockingly holding the bottle with her outstretched arm. His lips formed a quick smirk, acknowledging her taunt, before he took a large swig himself and he felt his eyes water as the liquid lit up his insides as it traveled. The smirk quickly turned into a tight straight line; he struggled not to cough and banged on his chest trying to assuage the burning sensation.

He recovered somewhat, letting out a long breath as he cleared his through a couple times. His real eye slowly turning a shade of pink as he looked up into her stark red eyes. "Whew. Fuck." Bill exclaimed quietly somewhat trying to avoid any more sharp remarks from Kat. Thankfully nothing came from her direction, she might've heard it or not but seemed to disregard the event. Tequila wasn't something he drank often, but it seemed like a night worthy of it's magical quality that did indeed seem to melt clothes off which Kat reaffirmed even if she was terribly sarcastic.

She turned on her heels and left the room while Bill was taking his second gulp of tequila. He watched her hips sway as he held the glass bottle to his lips mesmerized. Maybe the two years of deep sleep had more impact on his libido than he thought but he would say that ass was one of the seven wonders on this ship. He broke the fiery stream trickling down his throat as [Kat disappeared around the corner to his dismay. A feminine voice had rang over the intercom announcing something about a Christmas meal. How was she not satisfied by the exquisite slop presented to the crew earlier?

Bill sat there waiting for any others that might've seen his gesture, taking a couple more gulps of the tequila, but there was nothing but the sound of the tequila sloshing in the bottle with every swig. He looked down to see that it was half empty; his stomach rolled around a couple times as the slop and tequila mixed; he figured some meat would settle things in there. He stood up quickly, but then bent over placing his hands on the table in front of him, a wave of dizziness washing over him. He wasn't drunk but the tequila had done its work; his face was flushed with a light rosy pink cast on the top of his cheeks and across the bridge of his nose. Noticing the full tequila bottle in front of him, he squirreled it away in the folds of the red couch before making his way out of the Rec Room. Who knows when it would come in handy?

He slowly walked out of the rec room, open tequila bottle in his right hand, and slowly made his way back to the mess hall; his left hand gently brushing against the wall giving him a sense of stability. Half way to the hall, the smell of meat wafted into his nostrils, gaining strength with his every step causing his stomach to swirl but steeled his resolve. He stood up straighter and took steady steps as he walked towards the smell of a well cooked dinner. In the back of his head, Bill wondered who had the ability on this ship? Oracle should've hired her instead of that oaf of a woman.

 

[JudeRodney]

Colin - Kitchen - tags: anyone in the room

“You got it. Bring me a cold one while you’re at it.”

With all the good stuff cooking around him, Colin went into the refrigerator to look for the beer. The place was pretty well stocked, all things considered. Interestingly enough, however, there were no kegs, but everything was bottled. American, German, Mexican, even the Japanese were represented in the selection. But the one beer he was looking for was a tradition from Ireland for more than a millenium: Killian's Irish Red - and he found it. It was like he was in heaven. He knew it seemed like such a short time for him in cryosleep, but it was two whole years since he had any. Too bad he would drink only one, otherwise it would be hangover city.

"Merry Christmas everyone! If anyone is interested in a real Christmas meal, please stop by the kitchen by the mess hall. We have tasty meats, yummy veggies, fluffy rice and sweet desserts to tempt one and all!"

Devlyn's annoncuement brought Colin out of his reverie. He still had to bring one to that Victor guy, and there were probably more people out there who would want one. Since there was one person who he already knew wanted one, he decided to go with first things first. Grabbing two bottles of the Killian's, he went back out to the kitchen. There he was assaulted by all sorts of smells. Steaks and hamburgers he could pick out immediately. The other meats he wasn't so sure about. He was thoroughly enjoying himself as he approached Victor. "Here's your beer, fella," he said to him as he placed the bottle on the counter.

Turning his attention to the others he raised his to be heard over the din. "Is there anyone else who would like a beer?"

 

[HotCider]

Tags: Dev, Mad, Colin, Bry, Colt, etc. if anymore

Thief! You better share that! By the way, I like my steak medium rare. [Devlyn]

“Steak for the onion powder,” Victor countered.

Medium rare. [Madison]

Heh, there was another one. Women couldn’t resist meat.

“Victor Caldwell or Ghost; the guy who’s going to be guarding your ass,” he answered Dr. Madison.

He was massaging some spices into the thawing backs of the steaks. Shrugging his shoulders, he answered honestly, “I wasn’t lookin’ for coffee.”

Colin returned from the refrigerator with a cold, Irish red ale. Anyone could have guessed the brew from its cherry wood appearance. Tearing his eyes from the grill a moment, Victor’s brows jumped at the sight of the beer. “Christ, they were really holdin’ out on us.”

Grasping the bottle, he slapped it against the edge of the grill as the top went flipping over his shoulder to clatter across the floor. Taking a desperate swig, his throat thirsty for a cold beer, he took three large gulps and sighed nice and long. The pleasant smile that stretched his lips almost glowed with the bliss he was feeling. Beer, sweet beer, he almost wanted to cry. It had been a godsend compared to his last beverage. Turpentine au café.

“You may need to get me a second one,” Victor informed Colin. “I’m not plannin’ on remembering Christmas.”

Food preparation on Victor’s end hadn’t taken as long as Devyln’s. He had moved the thawed meats over to the Chawbur Ray grill. For having told Dr. Madison that he hadn’t been looking for coffee, coffee grounds had been one of the seasonings that he rubbed into one of the steaks. It was a flavor that went well with a sauce similar to the taste of Worchestire, sweet BBQ, and lemon. It had been optional for he had some bare steaks for those who liked to soak theirs in the legendary A1, Heinz, or some other incomparable glaze. The one convenient thing about the grill was that he didn’t have to fight with the little lady when she came over to use it. They kept to their sides. After the seasoning had a chance to sink into the meats’ natural juices, he turned the grill down to allow them to simmer as they awaited pick up.

Opening a vacuum-packed bag of potato buns had the bread puff to life as the oxygen rushed inside it. The glazed and chargrilled burgers were ready for eating. With Victor’s recipe, they hadn’t even needed extra condiments. They could have been eaten alone, with the bun, or with the full deck (tomato, lettuce, pickles, and onion). He preferred his with crispy fries, cheese, and of course, crispy, fuckin’ bacon.

I should have made some fries, Victor thought. And bacon.

Mmmhmm! That smells great! You’re a man with hidden talents!

Victor arched a lip at Devyln’s compliment. “Heh...”

She almost reminded him of the director. When she talked about making food and dessert, he felt a little relieved. If Devlyn was going all out on Christmas dinner, then the fries weren’t necessary. Besides, it wasn’t like anyone was going to give him a hard time about it.

Oh my god, it smells amazing in here. If you have two extra steaks there, I’d love one. Him first, though.

As Bryanna directed his attention over to Colton, the smirk that cocked on Victor’s face was irresistible. Mr. High-and-Tight...he had secretly laughed at him earlier for his nostalgic choice of dress.

“Sure, why not. Got nothin’ but medium-rare here if that’s all right with you two,” he informed. “Seasoned and unseasoned. Help yourselves.”

Devlyn had eventually finished and already Victor had one of his burgers in his mouth and was munching on it, while sucking down a beer. Her feast was really making the air thick with what a Christmas dinner should have smelled like. It had made him a little anxious to try her ethnic dishes.

Hey Victor! I think my pig or lamb will outdo your steak or burger! What do you want to bet?

Victor finished chewing down his burger and washed it down with a swig of beer. Licking the remnants from his lips, he regarded her lazily from his spot, lounging against the island counter across from the stove tops and other kitchen appliances.

“There’s only three things real men love. The three Bs...” He held up three fingers for her and folded them down as he counted them, “Beer, beef, and boobs (sometimes booty made number four).”

That was his answer. It was that simple.

 

[KattDclaw]

Kat - Mess Hall - Tagging: Dev, Victor, Bill (indirectly)

Kat hadn't been gone that long, or so it felt like it. Yet as she emerged back into the Mess Hall it was like entering some new meat-infested world. That was the only thing that she could think of, the tequila might have gotten to her more than she had let on. The scents were almost overpowering, in a good way of course. Her stomach let out a grumbling squeak, it seemed her gelatinous meal had only satiated her temporarily. With the sights and smells of real food the pathetic excuse for a meal previously was all but forgotten. It was like one of those Christmas specials she use to see on the TV as a kick, all the family gathering around for a big feast. Everyone was smiling, everyone was happy, no one showed Uncle Tommy stumbling down the hall with a glass in his hand, pissing his pants drunk and it wasn't even noon.

There weren't any punches being thrown, not swearing to high hell, no screaming kids from unknown relatives. No, it wasn't anything like Christmas, Kat thought with a certain sense of relief. She had always hated the holidays, hated every little thing about it and the bullshit that came with it. Two years away from Earth she thought she might get away from all that bullshit. But what could you do, people always brought their baggage, their bullshit with them, at least these people could cook. The last thing Kat ever wanted to do was step foot in a kitchen, at least to cook. To get food that someone else cooked, well, that was a different matter entirely.

She walked with a purpose, her heavy boots thumped loudly against the floor and Kat swung her hips as she maneuvered around the cabinets and counters. There were vaguely familiar faces here, she had seen a few of them in their tidy whities previously as well. You always looked at someone differently after you saw them in their skivvies, of course Kat always saw everyone differently. She also had good timing.

The food was ready, displayed with the skill of a culinary professional, yet it didn't seem anyone had started to eat. That was except for the baboon that was stuffing his face full of a burger. He had the hard look of one who enjoyed having their head buried up their own ass, she knew the type, worked with them all the time. Kat picked up just the tail end of the conversation, how it started or why for that matter was a mystery. Not that she really cared. Those carmine orbs drifted away from the feast and fell upon the petite little Asian. She took a moment to take the woman in, giving her a good look from the rear before Kat found herself approaching. It was instinct, she always sized everyone up, Kat liked knowing just what she was up against, if only for future reference. She called out the man's name, Victor, not that Kat would remember it; she was really terrible with names. She had already forgotten the other one, the guy with the Tequila and the funky eyes. It didn't matter now, all that Kat was focused on for the moment was the conversation she wasn't a part of, at least yet.

The ex-soldier causally strolled up behind Devlyn and swung an arm easily about her shoulders. Kat had a good eight inches on the petite little thing, her arm easily fell about her and hung there like it belonged. Kat cocked her hips slightly, her other hand slid into her pockets and her thumb hooked about her belt loops.

“The three B's, huh?” Kat said with a slight raise in her voice. That knowing smirk drifted out over her lips easily, it was like she knew something they didn't. Even that sidelong glance she gave Dev seemed to indicate such. Her arm tightened about Devlyn's shoulder as she gave Victor another look, the same head to toe examination she gave everyone else when she got close enough. Only after a moment or two did the red haired Security Officer laugh, a deep-throated purr that sent her shoulders shaking.

“You might want to double up on the burgers then, Vicky.” Her tongue cut like a knife, sharp and right to the point. “Because with a face like that I don't think you'll be seeing much of the third.”

Kat arched her back and gave her upper frame a little wiggle, as if to accentuate her own bustline, her shirt clinging to it just a little bit more as she did.

 

[Light Ice]

Quietly, he watched her. Unable to help himself from smiling. He felt awful. The knot in his stomach swelled. Grew. It built until he felt like doubling over and it was pure will that kept him from doing so. Still, he smiled and felt good for smiling. The words left him before he even considered them. That alone would have been news.

“An hour in deep space and it’s already every girl for herself, I see.” His eyes ticked from her own to the coffee she stowed.

Out of the locker, he paid a glance to Victor. The others. Personalities were flexible things. They came and went, as he’d seen, depending on the circumstances and situations to which people were presented. There’d been more than a few Marines he’d never cared much for. More than a few Marines that got too wild off duty for his tastes. Too full of youth and piss and whatever it was that made people act as though dignity and patience weren’t a valuable part of the human condition.

All of those Marines, though, had served and fought with skill and distinction. He didn’t have the civilian mindset when it came to abrasive behavior. That was a luxury a Marine couldn’t afford. Instead, he regarded Victor at the grill and looked beyond the smirk.

“I’ll try one. Appreciate it.”

And then he was looking for Bryanna again. Finding her, easily, amongst the others. There was a difference between pretty and beautiful. He’d learned it a long time ago. Held to it now. She flashed him a thousand watts worth of white teeth and pink lips and he found himself nodding.

“Water,” He said. “Thank you. And my name is Colton. It’s good to meet you.”

 

[SortOfBeautiful]

Dr. Bryanna Mandrake.

Cheeseburgers. Macaroni and cheese. Tonight dinner wasn't exactly in Dr. Mandrake's diet, but there was no question that she wouldn't be up early the next morning in the gym to make up for it. While she was typically a healthy eater, sometimes she couldn't deny that a full meal was good for the stomach. Especially when she'd been on a kind of life support for two years.

God, two fucking years!

Bryanna had hoped to make her family, especially her parents, proud of her. Her whole life she'd strived to be like them. To impress them. But it was hard to impress anyone who already thought they were God's greatest gift. Going on this mission was supposed to change all of that. But what did she have to show for it now?

Two years in a sleeping chamber.

That was all she had accomplished so far, and she could only imagine her family back at home, laughing at her expense while they went back to the real people in need back at home.

She'd show them. She'd show them all.

This wasn't a waste of time. She would learn. Grow. Accomplish something out here. Whether they believed it or not, she would come back a different person.

Colin, one of the guys she hadn't really met yet, was passing around and offering beers. Bryanna didn't answer him, but chose to get one for herself. In the small refrigerator by the bar, she pulled out two beers and quickly remembered that Colton, her new friend with a name to match his handsome face, had wanted a water. The nutritionist and health nut in her told her that she should hydrate herself too. Drinking when she'd lost her tolerance over two years probably wasn't the best idea. But she quickly dismissed her own cautious behavior, knowing that this might be her only chance. For the next day and nights to come, she'd need to be in her right mind. Alert. Aware. But not tonight. Not yet.

It was just one beer, right?

Bry took her cold bottled beer, and since Colton already had his water, she returned to the crowd where she could pick up her food that was waiting for her. He was still there, watching her, and she flashed him another smile. See, being friendly wasn't so hard, now was it? Maybe the other doctor could get her panties stuck out of her ass long enough to loosen up a little. Bryanna wasn't fake, and she certainly didn't force any action or behavior if it didn't feel right. She wasn't that good of an actress. But Colton had a calming nature about him that just made her feel good to be around. She could use some calm in her life, considering her lifestyle.

Grabbing her plate, Bry gave Colton a nod for him to follow and sit with her so they could eat. Finally. The aroma of home-cooked food and the meat on the grill had filled the Mess Hall, and her stomach was growling louder and louder by the second. She worried everyone could hear it. When she sat back down at one of the tables, she immediately took a long pull from her beer and her pretty blue eyes closed as the cool liquid poured down her throat.

"Mm, fuck." Bryanna licked her lips as she carefully set the bottle back down, satisfied. Fuck food, that beer had just hit the spot.

The dug in to her macaroni and cheese first; it looked the best and to be honest, she hadn't had it baked like this before. It looked amazing. Her first bite confirmed that it was delicious, and she ate faster than she cared to admit. She wanted to eat her burger while it was still hot, but she had to have some kind of condiment.

"Hey, um, excuse me?" Bry called out a couple seats away at the table from...shit, what was her name again? Did she tell it? She stared over at Devlyn, waiting for her to make eye contact. When she did, Bry smiled and waved at the smaller girl again.

"Can you toss me that ketchup over there?"

The other girl was quick to oblige, finding the ketchup within arm's length, and she threw it her way. Bryanna's blue eyes widened with fear, hoping she could catch the damn red bottle. She did, thankfully, but as her fingers wrapped around the bottle and squeezed in her catch, some of the ketchup squirted out of the bottle with distance that surprised even Bryanna. She stared in horror, gasping, as the red liquid streamed from the container and splattered on Devlyn's shoulder.

 

[heartofcourage]

Dr. Madison - everyone

“Well, trust me, Vic, I don’t need some muscle bound pretty boy guarding my ass or anything else.” Madison said, a smirk on her face as she turned and barely listened to his answer about the coffee.

She would simply look for it herself, she decided. She made her way into the pantry, searching high and low for the elusive coffee. It simply wasn’t there. Well, that certainly was a pisser, she thought to herself, scratching her hair with a little huff. This was going to be one long voyage if a simply thing like coffee had been overlooked.

What are you thinking, Maddie? It’s already been a long ass voyage and it didn’t look like it was going to stop any time soon. A ship full of people like her ship mates would slowly start to grate on her nerves. Might even turn into slight psychosis. That might prove very interesting, she thought to herself as a bottle on a high shelf caught her eye.

There was no way in heaven or hell that she could get that lucky, she thought to herself as she stood on her tip toes to pull it down. The golden liquid sloshed inside the long bottle, beckoning to her as a slow smile moved across her features, pulling at her until it was plastered widely on her face. She quickly headed back out into the mess hall where the others were eating.

“Pack away that food, people. I just found the ambrosia of the Gods.” She said, showing off the bottle of finely aged whiskey, enough to last them a few hours at least. “A few glasses if you please, Vic. A pretty boy’s got to be good for at least something.”

 

[Vailyn]

Devlyn - Mess Hall: Sofia, Vic, Kat, Bry, Colin, Colton

Devlyn almost burned her hands as she helped Sofia get the desserts out of the oven. In less than an hour, the woman with bright violet eyes had created several apple and pecan pies and a decadent New York style cheesecake. Just the mix of mouth watering smells wafting up from all of the various food in the kitchen made her stomach gnaw on itself in growly anticipation. Hopefully, no one else heard her tummy shouting its empty status. There were enough people hanging out in the kitchen and talking to cover it up--she hoped!

A glance at the grill showed Victor at work flipping burgers and steaks. Dev prepped the succulent pig and rack of lamb by cutting them up to be easily served. She cut off pieces of the meats to try out and gave small moans of foodie joy at how well they turned out.

The chatter of voices pulled Dev out of her personal food heaven and she looked over to see a gaggle of crew mates near the grill. She grinned as she shouted out a laughing challenge to Victor, and her eyebrows raised before rolling in mocking disgust at his response about the three B's. Dev jumped a bit when a long arm draped over her shoulder. By the time she glanced up, she was already tucked into the side of a well endowed and fit female. Startled brown eyes peered into eerie red orbs. Anything she was about to say turned into a muffled snort-laugh at what the woman's snappy repartee to Victor.

“The three B's, huh?” Kat said with a slight raise in her voice and a knowing smirk on her lips. "You might want to double up on the burgers then, Vicky. Because with a face like that I don't think you'll be seeing much of the third.”

Devlyn cheerfully nudged Kat, tall one with bright red locks over black, with her elbow and laughingly stated, "Ha! You're crazy! We should be friends. I'm Devlyn." She pulled free from the red haired Amazon and asked everyone to give a hand in taking the food out into the mess hall. In minutes, all of the food was laid out on the long cafeteria table closest to the kitchen door.

Happily, the petite Asian piled up a plate full of delicious food and dug in with gusto! For a little while, she was lost in savoring each bite and taste. It took a few seconds to realize someone was trying to get her attention.

"Hey, um, excuse me?" Bry called out. "Can you toss me that ketchup over there?"

Peering around Colton, Dev made eye contact with Bryanna. She grinned sheepishly, nodded at the golden haired doctor, picked up the ketchup bottle and threw it in her direction. She winced when she saw the spooked expression on the fair woman's face and smiled when the doctor caught the bottle. Before Dev could give her a thumbs up for catching it, Bry reflexively squeezed the bottle in relief and caused it to squirt! A bright red splatter of tomato goodness decorated Dev's dark blue bodysuit.

Devlyn scooped up some ketchup with her index finger, sucked it clean with a loud smack of her lips and stated, "Yum! Sweet and tart red stuff. Just what I needed." A wicked light sparked in her brown eyes as she eyed the food on the table. She casually picked up a spoon and dug into the uber cheesy macaroni. "Hey, Victor, I think you need some cheesy mac with your food."

Without further ado, she aimed at the gruff security man and launched the gooey cheese pile at him. It didn't have to travel very far to land on his chin and jaw with sticky tenacity. She couldn't help but laugh out loud when the macaroni noodles tumbled down onto his chest and farther south.

Ut oh! I may be in for it now! Dev's oval face was alight with laughter and her body set to move quickly.