Posted by Commander Shedda Mal’athar (Executive Officer) in side - sim: Keeping My Word

Posted by Civilian Char’les Harv (Officer’s Mess Chef) in side - sim: Keeping My Word

Posted by Commander Shedda Mal’athar (Executive Officer) in side - sim: Keeping My Word
Posted by… suppressed (4) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Per her agreement with Alex, Shedda was headed to the officer’s mess for a meal and to check on their fugitive chef. She didn’t eat every meal there, her schedule didn’t allow for that. And she felt it was good to be seen in the lounge as often as possible as well, mixing with the enlisted crew as well. She was the XO, for everyone and it was important to her to be approachable. She wouldn’t admit it, but that also saved her from having to see Harv 3 times a day. She dreaded these meals, but she agreed, so there she was walking into the Officer’s mess for dinner at the end of her shift. It had been a long day, and she had hoped there would be a letter from the judge, but there wasn’t. Shedda sat down at a table and waited. There was no point in ordering from the replicator or asking for what she wanted. Harv was going to serve her whatever it was he wanted to.

Mal’athar, XO

It was few minutes before the door slid open and the chef came out, fresh baked bread and butter on a small plate. He walked over to the table, set the bread down, and looked at Shedda. “I guess the lofty need to slum it times, huh? So? Whadda ya want?”

Harv

Shedda wondered how many times she would have to count to 10 during this meal. She would not rise to the bait, she was the XO she would act like it. What was it about Harv that set her nerves on edge? Credit where credit was due....more flies with honey than vinegar and all that. He was asking her what she wanted, being nice, she could be too. “I would hardly call your mess a slum. Pasta salad?” Yes there were many types, but if he actually had any made she would not be picky about the type. Even if it has fish in it.

Shedda

“You avoid it like a slum.” Harv grunted and turned away without another word and walked back to the kitchen. It was not ten minutes later that he came back with a large bowl filled with muti-colored pasta spirals and wheels, assorted diced vegetables, and a very white meat-like something cubed up and mixed in. The aroma was heady, herbal, and citrus-esque. The bowl was frosted, obviously chilled, and Harv set the bowl down with a thunk. “Pasta salad. Hope it meets your highness’s refined palate.” and the Bajoran chef turned and began walking away.

Harv

Avoid it? Hardly, though she did tend to avoid Harv like the plague. Refined palate? Hardly. Shedda grew up on a very poor colony, a slum mostly. Except that the people there worked hard to make the best of it. If anything, Harv’s food was too fancy to what she was used to. She also didn’t require nutrition in food format, or not as much as other species. Of course she wasn’t getting nearly as much sunlight as she needed either. 10…9…8…7…6… okay she could speak now. The bowl was large, all portions from Harv seemed to be large. Even something she enjoyed was usually more than she could eat. “Thank you, Harv. I’m sure it’s excellent like everything else.” Everyone raved about Harv’s food and it wasn’t bad it was the atmosphere. She paused in picking up her fork. She was supposed to keep an eye on him, make sure he was okay. She seemed more surely today than normal. “Harv is everything alright?”

Shedda

Harv paused and turned around. But, unlike typically, he didn’t just verbally explode. He looked around, made sure the people that were dining were out of ear shot, and then walked back to the table and leaned down slightly.

“No. Its not. I really don’t appreciate you treating my place like its infested with rats and is the last place on the ship you choose to eat. You’re the XO. People follow your lead. And since you came on board, less people come in than before. They seem to think that if they do, they’ll piss you off or something… or they want to put in their face time and that means the lounge because that’s where you go ninety-nine perxent of the time. And since all I have left in this gods-forsaken existence is the joy I get from cooking… now I don’t get to even do that as much. And it sucks… and I blame you.” He stood up and put his hands behind his back. “I hope that clarifies things, Commander. Enjoy the salad.” and he turned and walked back to towards the kitchen.

Harv

Shedda stopped herself from telling him the only rat in the mess was him. She listened instead, or tried too. And it was obvious they were never going to see eye to eye about most things. “First and foremost, you’re right, I do spend time in the lounge and I am the XO. I am the first officer of this entire ship and this entire crew. Not just the officers, but the enlisted too. The enlisted make up 70% of this crew and when I’m in here in this room they can’t access me. Personally I don’t think there should be an officer’s vs enlisted mess. It should be one mess in my opinion. And then you could cook for a lot of people and not just ‘the rich’ crowd of the crew. I’m sorry this is all you have left, but that was your choice. I’m not saying it was right or wrong, but you have to live with the consequences, and that’s not my fault.”

Shedda took a slow breath, “But, you might be civilian but I’m your XO too. It was not my intention to drive people away from your dinning room. I will make sure I’m aware of the percentages of my meal times, and make sure I’m spending half of it here.”

Shedda

Harv turned around at the door and said “Lady, you most definitely aren’t my XO. I answer to one person, and one person alone. And just because he told me to make nice with you doesn’t mean I have to like it! Oh, and for your information? Everyone is allowed to eat here. Even the civilians. Officers just get priority seating if there’s a wait. If you had ever deigned to come by during meals, you’d probably know that!” and he wheeled around and walked into the kitchen.

Harv