Posted by Lieutenant Faye Calloway (Mission Specialist) in Officer’s Mess Kitchen- Food for a Crowd

Posted by James Sinclair in Officer’s Mess Kitchen- Food for a Crowd

Posted by Lieutenant Faye Calloway (Mission Specialist) in Officer’s Mess Kitchen- Food for a Crowd
Faye shifted the crate in her arms after visiting her quarters and Tess (who was likely to never know Fay was supposed to be on vacation at this rate) and arrived at the Mess Hall, where Dag and her mom would be meeting her. They were having lunch while they made the hasperat for the wake later tonight. Normally a social event like that would make Faye squirm with unease, but this was different. It was Tracken after all. Somehow invoking her former home and the community spirit it embodied made everything easier.

Moving through the Mess to the kitchen, Faye stopped dead in her tracks, brows raised. “I thought we had an agreement?”

Shara stood there with a chef’s knife in hand, an entirely innocent expression on her face. “I promised I wouldn’t cook, but you have a list of ingredients to prep and a knife I do know how to use. Just call me your sous chef, Lieutenant, ma’am,” she said, snapping off a salute with her left hand.

“You’re hilarious,” Faye said dryly, moving over to another prep surface and setting down the crate so she could unpack the items.

“Says the woman who wants to be a captain. Ohh! Will you make them all come to attention and shout ‘Captain on the Bridge’ when you enter?” Shara said, eyes gleaming.

“Don’t make me stab you with that knife.”
“Matricide already and it’s only Noon,” Shara said.
Faye snorted, pulling items out. “I’m on vacation and feeling a bit lazy.”
“Early bird gets the worm,” Shara bantered back, chopping some more vegetables on the list Faye gave her.

“Where’s Dag when I need him?” the younger Calloway bemoaned, knowing the man was joining them very shortly. She had asked for a few minutes with her mom first to touch base before they did the whole ‘meet the mom’ thing… again. Properly.

“Exactly where he needs to be, I’m sure,” Shara said, though her expression was warmer, less bantering.
Faye unpacked the last item and set the crate underneath the counter. “Ohhh, she approves!”
It was Shara’s turn to snort. “Like you were asking in the first place.”
“Says the woman who stalked my boyfriend just to establish the parameters.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” Shara said with a laugh.
Faye unscrewed the jar with the super spicy brine and inhaled. “You’re just lucky he gets it. Can’t say it would have gone over well with others.”
“The others were schmucks. Not good enough,” Shara said firmly. “What can I say? Hammor and I have an understanding.”
“Well… fine. But… wait, since there won’t be a next time, I can’t say don’t do it again. Huh,” Faye mused, surprising herself.

More chopping, the knife moving cleanly through the vegetables. Shara went silent, and Faye wasn’t sure what to make of that.

~The Calloway Women

The door opened and the bulk of the Orion in question came in carrying, of all things, two bouquets of flowers and a small basket.

“Speaking of…’ Faye said turning to watch Daggum enter, a bright smile slipping onto her face. There were still moments ever since their vacation started together that she wasn’t sure it wasn’t something she had made up in her mind. But the truth was that Faye wasn’t exactly skilled at imagining good things, and there was no way she’d have dreamt up someone as incredible as Daggum Hammor. So he must be real. “Hey Dag,” she said with all the warmth he created within her.

“Ladies…” he said and moved next to Faye. “These are for you, love.” and he gave her a bouquets. “Basket too, my love.” and he bent low and kissed her. He then winked and turned to Shara. “And these are for you.” he said handing her the other bouquet. “Nice to see you not skulking around elevators accosting strange men, Ms. Calloway.” and he smiled.

“New day, new activities,” Shara said, twirling the knife as she accepted the bouquet with a generous bow of her head. “Have to keep people on their toes, somehow.”

“You could try being a little less menacing,” Faye said with mock-seriousness as she watched her mother brandish the knife so skillfully and yet so casually.

Shara snorted and set the knife down, holding the bouquet in one hand and her other hand up, now empty. “Better?” she said with a grin.

Faye looked her over and shook her head. “Nope,” she said matter-of-factly before inhaling the lovely scent from one of the flowers.

“Well, just have to keep practicing, ” Shara remarked before looking at Dag. “Thank you for the flowers. They’re lovely.”

“Basket is fresh herbs from the station garden. Didnt know what you needed, so there is a bunch of everything.” he said to Faye and then looked around. “So what can I do to help?”

Daggum

Faye moved back to him after propping up the lovely flowers on the counter against the backsplash. “First, another kiss,” she said that strange giddy tone creeping back into her voice.

Dag grinned and said “Well… if I must.” and slipped his arms around her and pulled her to him, bent down, and kissed her, not caring that her mother was standing there… with a knife by her hand.

“And then if you don’t mind, I need someone to start cooking the vegetables while I make the dough for the wraps. And she’s not allowed to cook.”

“No cooking implements for me,” Shara said with a wink in Daggum’s direction as she picked up the knife again and set about chopping the vegetables that Daggum needed to cook.

Faye just shook her head, but she was grinning. If nothing else, her mother was entirely irrepressible. “We’ll probably want on of Harv’s extra large skillets. Medium heat with some oil in the pan once it warms up. Sautee and try to get things evenly cooked. We’ll add the special brine at the three-quarter mark.”

~The Calloway Women

“Yes Chef!” Daggum said loudly and then chuckled. “Sorry. I watch a lot of Dante’s Kitchen on my off time. That Rordan Gamsey is such a stickler…” He went over and pulled out the biggest skillet he could find, which was actually a massive paella pan, but he carried it like a skillet. He set on the induction heater and then grabbed a bottle of olive oil and splashed some in the pan. “Ready for those veggies… Mom.” he said to Shara, and then looked at Faye and smirked and winked.

Daggum