Lets Take a Break Part 1
Posted on Sat Jul 24th, 2021 @ 3:27am by Commander Dean House & Lieutenant Commander Bonnie "Bon-Bon" Durnell & Lieutenant JG Avarak
Mission:
Gamma Quadrant
Location: Lounge
“So where are we going? I thought I was getting, well, making us Deanwiches.” Giving a look to Avarak but more focused on Bonnie.
“The officer’s mess on deck 3 has a view that I have found cathartic.” Said Avarak, although he noted that Dean’s attention seemed to be focused elsewhere.
“Really? I don’t think I’ve actually been to that one, usually just the main lounge,” Dean said.
"I am game for whatever gents, so long as there's food involved." She was content in the comfort of the new friends and her small fellowship. She missed Anna and Sapphire, sure, but life on a starship was a lot of come and go and she had to accept that fact.
“Well..how about this.” Dean glanced to the both of them. “Once we get to the mess hall and pick a spot. I will go talk to the Chef and I will make all of us that Deanwich.”
“Intriguing,” responded Avarak. “I had assumed that your use of the term ‘making food’ was a colloquialism.”
"Um, are you going to elaborate on what a 'Deanwhich' is precisely or are we supposed to be surprised?" Bonnie asked so that she could spare hurting any feelings if he went through the work only for her not to like his creation. Bless his heart he was trying though, she gave him points for the effort.
“Lieutenant, I’m sure that if your ability of making ‘dean-witches’ equals your abilities as a tactical officer, then we shall be in safe hands.” Responded Avarak, still operating under his assumption of a ‘deanwhich’ being a portmanteau of ‘Dean’ and ‘sandwhich’, though he didn’t like to draw conclusions without first assembling evidence.
“Actually, now that I think about it. I may need to pick something else for you, Avarak.” He’d get to Bonnie’s question in a minute. “I know that not all Vulcans eat meat. Do you?”
“Normally, us Vulcans do not,” began Avarak’s response. “The reasoning behind this practice is that there is no logical justification for causing the death of an animal merely for culinary pleasure, since it is very possible to receive the same amount of nutrients elsewhere. However, if the meat itself is replicated no harm is being done.”
“Alright then. Well to answer your question, Bonnie. Cheese, garlic, turkey, ham, sourdough and butter. The trick is in how you do it.” Dean was still going with, “Anything else you both would like with it?”
“How exactly does one ‘do it’?” Asked the science officer.
Bonnie snickered at the innocent nature of the question, which she was about to ask herself before Avarak apparently read her mind. “Sounds heavy enough the way it is.”
She was thinking about the non-meat response Avarak had given and felt like there was more to not eating meat than that. Even replicated meat had a different consistency, and different attributes, higher fat and protein etcetera than a plate of fruits and vegetables.
“It’s all about the order and the finesse of it.”
They turned right, entering the Deck 3 officer’s mess. Bonnie allowed their arms to separate so that Dean could move off behind the bar. Her and Avarak moved over to the stools where Bonnie sat down, her hands under her butt. It was a balancing maneuver, one that helped her not to accidentally break anything and she had been doing it since she was but a wee girl, according to her papa.
Avarak suppressed the urge to raise an eyebrow as he watched the way Bonnie sat down. She was a curious individual and one who seemed to get curiouser the more they got to know each other. Avarak liked curious.
Chef was nice enough to let him do so. Since he didn’t know it. It’s in the replicator but it’s a little different to have the creator make it. Dean got what he needed gathered. Placing it all out so they could watch also if they wanted.
She watched, waiting for her opportunity to try something new. She was sure she had never had a Deanwhich, not unless she counted that time she did that thing with Dean Abernathy in tenth grade, but this surely wasn’t that.
Starting first he put down the six pieces of sourdough bread. Two pieces of cheddar cheese slices for each slice of bread. Same with the deli sliced black forest ham. Pausing a moment and looking at them, “Just how garlicie do you two want it?”
“Um, just a dash. I don’t mind a bit of spice, but you never know when you’ll have to report to the Captain or something, you know.” She smiled knowing the old ruse was don’t eat garlic with someone you may wish to kiss later, but that wasn’t going to happen today, so…
“Alright, light.” Dean gave a nod. Doing just a couple of pinches of the garlic salt with parsley. Particularly since there would be more later once he ‘grilled’ the bread with that and butter. Looking at Avarak.
“In gaining new culinary experiences, I find it is often best to defer to the cook and appreciate the food the way they originally intended.” Being exposed to new cuisine was something that Avarak would do whenever possible.
“Are you sure you wish to do that? I am pretty heavy on the garlic salt. Sometimes more, sometimes less. I will try to put an amount in between those two,” Dean smiled.
Since that was settled, he started to finish the rest. After that came the turkey. Actually folding it like it was one of those in pictures. A moderate amount for the two of them. His however was about double that. He put the two sides together, then got out the butter and turned the flat top on to heat.
“Ms. Durnell,” began Avarak
"Yes Mr. Avarak?" She replied in her ooh this is fancy formal speaking voice.
“I am curious, is there a reason you are sitting in that fashion?” He had never seen anyone sit in such a way before.
She pulled her hands from under her tush, slightly embarrassed. "Um, it's a weird story actually. I blame Captain Ahab." She could see the puzzled look on his face, so she continued.
"When I was little I would role play in the novel Moby Dick by Herman Melville. Well, when Ahab went out in the rowboat I went too. I never could get used to the waves and tended to tip the boat. After the umpteeth time of ending up in the drink, Ahab told me to sit on my hands and not to move. Which I did. Since then I just sort of do it out of habit I guess. I mean, who knew a hologram could get irritated like that?"
Once it was heated, Dean started to butter one side of the bread, also putting the garlic salt with parsley on it. Plopping them on that side, the whole thing together. Doing the same procedure with the side facing up. Keeping time in his head so he could listen to the story.
“Intriguing,” Avarak responded. “I had never anticipated that a holodeck simulation could have such an effect on an individual. Do you visit the holodecks often?”
She smiled, “Sometimes.” Her most recent adventure in a holodeck involved a run in the hills of Scotland where she took a tumble with Anna and shared a flirtatious moment with a waterhorse. She blushed, “Um, mostly holo-novels and such. They are always good for stimulating the imagination.”
“Many things can have influences on people, even holo-novels. A butterfly fluttering down to sit on your shoulder or hand for no reason can inspire emotions, ideas, innovations. Something that simple. Avarak.” Dean said. Still counting in his head.
“Interesting,” Responded the Vulcan. “I, myself, do not frequent the holodeck, I prefer to spend my spare time with independent study. Having the experiences that I’ve had, it is occasionally challenging to understand how different some of our influences truly are.”
“Perhaps you should. You can’t fully understand influences or interactions from a book.” Dean turned to flip the three Deanwiches.
TBC
